


Blue Marble

by caleprwrite



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: ASL, Bottom Bucky Barnes, Deaf Clint Barton, Engineer Bucky Barnes, Homeland Security Steve Rogers, M/M, Pothead Clint Barton, Stucky AU Big Bang, TW: Marijuana Use, Tony Stark Does What He Wants, Top Skinny Steve Rogers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-28
Updated: 2019-03-01
Packaged: 2019-11-07 04:42:07
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 25,862
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17953799
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/caleprwrite/pseuds/caleprwrite
Summary: A chance meeting at the bookstore Bucky and Steve both frequent regularly pushes both out of their comfort zones and into the realm of what if. The pull between the two of them is undeniable, and it's ridiculous they've never run into each other before.When Bucky sees the life and passion in a pair of eyes more beautiful than theBlue Marble, he realizes just how much he's been missing in life outside of his work and family responsibilities. Maybe he's too fucking young to have a predictable, lonely existence.Steve recognizes a man with a wild side that's been buried under responsibility for far too long. He's intent on cracking open the perfectly crafted shell to find the man and passion underneath.One thing is for sure. Life always seems to have it's own idea.





	1. Collaboration Banner

**Author's Note:**

> Amazing art for this fic was done by collaboration with the wonderful Odette-and-Odile. You can see these and her other amazing things on Tumblr [here](http://odette-and-odile.tumblr.com/) or on her Twitter [here](https://twitter.com/odetteandodile). 
> 
> Many thanks to her and also Beta-Extrordinaires Kayla, Charlotte and Briana for their help in getting this damn thing to make sense!

Collaboration Banner


	2. Bucky

Warmth, a great chair and the smell of old books. For a nerd like Bucky, that was paradise. The tropics could keep their sun and sand, Bucky was at home as long as he had those few things. The winter decided to grip late February in New York with one last bitter cold snap. It wasn’t that the chill that settled in was a first for most New Yorkers, but the wind that accompanied it was another story.

When the door to the bookstore opened soon after Bucky made himself comfortable in an old leather chair, a cold rush of air blew through the small space, making him shiver. Out of sheer curiosity, Bucky tore his eyes away from the pages in front of him to see who else decided to brave the freezing wind to come to his favorite little hideout.

Two men entered, the first a tall man with dark skin and jovial features, radiating happiness and good nature. The  second, though… the second man was hands down the most beautiful guy Bucky Barnes had ever laid eyes on in his thirty-ish years on the earth. Really, he was stunning. He was small framed, standing about five and a half feet _-ish_ \- and that was being generous with the winter boots on. The guy’s frame was slight, but seemed solid, though in truth, it wasn’t what drew Bucky’s attention to him at first. It was his voice, deep and syrupy sweet, thick like honey, but then Bucky saw his eyes.

The smaller man’s eyes looked just like the ocean in NASA’s _Blue Marble_ photo, the very one Bucky had framed on his office wall. The intense blue surrounded by dark lashes and thick black wayfarer frames contrasted perfectly with the guy’s soft golden blond hair sticking out haphazardly from underneath his beanie. His lips, bright pink from the cold looked soft and plush and like they were just made for… well, for all sorts of things.

“I just don’t know how you do it, man. You gotta be one of the strongest, most determined people I know,” Tall and Dark says.

Blue Marble shrugs his shoulders as he unwraps his thick wool scarf, pulls off his gloves and gives his friend a self-deprecating grin.

“I dunno, Sam. I just do it. I mean, it wasn’t easy packing her things away. Some days I still have to force myself to get to it, you know, keep putting one foot in front of the other.”

Tall and Dark - Sam nods, “I respect that, Steve, I really do.”

_Steve._

Bucky thought he looked like a Steve. Guys with that name were good, upstanding. They carried responsibility well, didn’t they?  

Steve looks up at Sam, face scrunching up and shaking his head like he said something wrong. “Look, the way I put it, I mean it’s not as easy as it sounds. I still fight it. Hell, I still cry sometimes, but I won’t let it stop me. I can’t.” Sam stops and listens to Steve, turning toward him and giving him his full attention. “I just gotta get back to the business of living. For me, there’s no other way, ‘cause anything less would be dishonoring to her memory. You know Ma...”

By this point, Bucky knows he’s gone well past casual listening, full on into eavesdropping. He can’t really help it, though. The righteous fury bubbling up from beneath everything Steve says is mesmerizing. Steve is just so much man packed into a small package. It’s like if he were a big man, it simply wouldn’t be fair to the rest of the world. He’s a walking, talking contradiction with angelic features surrounding a pair of eyes that Bucky thinks might be the actual death of him someday.


	3. Steve

Steve noticed him the moment they walked into the shop. Warm and strong, and the way he was settled into the old leather chair made him look like he’d be the perfect guy to snuggle up to on a cold night. His dark brown hair was thick, just that side of too long, and his eyes were the most entrancing shade of gray Steve had ever seen. And that jawline? Christ, it could have been carved out of marble, but the best part was that it had just the right amount of scruff on it, too.

_Beard burn. Fuck - stop it, brain._

Steve needed to get laid.

He kept his conversation with Sam going, even though he was more than a little distracted by the guy in the chair. Besides, it wasn’t every day he and Sam were able to just get out and talk, not since Maria had given birth to their twins that summer. It seemed like the couple’s hands were always full - but in the absolute best way possible. Steve understood how rare their outing that day was. Sam was The Best, making time to hang with Steve and check up on him frequently throughout the entire month after his Ma’s services.

Sarah Rogers was like a mother to many of Steve’s friends, and they all felt the loss. It wasn’t easy taking care of her to the end, but Steve refused to have her placed in a home or the hospital. She’d cared for him through every one of his many ailments as child, and the very least he could do was return the favor when her cancer came back.

So that’s what he did.

He gave up the new career overseeing multiple operations teams and the great apartment he’d found in DC. Dropping everything and coming straight back to Brooklyn to nurse her through to the end was both the hardest and most natural thing he’d ever done. And yeah, it sucked, but he loved his Ma more than that job, so the decision took all of about point-zero-three seconds.

If that.

Steve could tell the the guy with the pretty gray eyes was listening to their conversation, and usually Steve’s first, second and third reaction would have been to tell him to fuck off (or pick a fight - let’s be real), but there was something about him that just seemed too sweet, too innocent. Steve momentarily let himself get caught up in the thought of having a possibility with a guy like that - right up until he knew better.

Guys like Pretty Eyes were usually married, straight and conservative - or worse - closeted. Steve had met plenty just like that in DC. They were always down for a little fun behind closed doors, but anything that involved the light of day was a different story. Sneaking around and getting shit on in the end wasn’t worth it, so he quickly dismissed the thought and continued his conversation with Sam as they headed toward the children’s section.

There was a specific book Steve wanted to get Sam’s girls, a beautifully illustrated Disney collection of fairy tales, and the store’s website showed they had a like-new copy in stock. Steve quickly located the book in question, which wasn’t difficult, given the size of it. Opening the pages, he was not disappointed; the illustrations were full of color, the pages crisp and clean. Steve pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose with his knuckle and scanned the pages. ‘Like new condition’ was an understatement, the book was pristine. He ran his nimble fingers over the artwork, closed the book and gave the golden embossed cover the same treatment.

It was perfect.

Sam’s eyes widened when he made his way back to where Steve was standing. He carried two little cloth books with different colored tags, flaps and ribbons attached. The pages crinkled, squeaked and jingled as Sam moved them into one hand, squeezing them to get Steve’s attention.

“Wow,” he breathed, then blinked seriously at Steve. “You sure you wanna get something like that for my monsters? I mean, they chew on everything, man.”

Steve snorted a laugh. “No offense, but I trust Maria and the girls with it more than you.”

“That’s cold, man. Cold.”

After a little more wandering, Steve and Sam made their way to the front so they could pay for their purchases. The little cafe down the street was an old favorite hangout of theirs and they planned to finish their afternoon off with a hot chocolate and a visit with an old friend, provided she was working. Steve meandered past the displays while Sam finished up, making small talk with the woman at the register. He stopped at a table containing a new series the shop was showcasing, feeling eyes on him. When he looked up, he made deliberate, curious contact with Pretty Eyes across the small space, his heart skipping in his chest when the guy smiled sheepishly up at him and stood to walk over.

 

First Meeting

 

“Hey,” he began, stopping a few feet away from Steve, shifting on his feet nervously, eyes glancing down at the table.

“Hi there.”

“Uh, I’m Bucky,” Pretty Eyes said, holding out his hand in greeting.

Bucky made his move safely, Steve observed, in case he got shot down. He took Bucky’s hand and couldn’t help but give him a cautious grin, still not one hundred percent sure what the guy was after, but fuck he was pretty. “Steve.”

Steve let Bucky hold onto his hand a beat longer than appropriate for making a casual acquaintance, because he couldn’t help getting distracted by the warmth of his palm and his curiously strong, yet gentle grip. And God, he would be great to cuddle up to. Especially if his hands were that warm and strong... Steve could only imagine the rest of him. The thought gave Steve a little shiver and he reluctantly pulled his hand back as they parted.

“So, uh,” Bucky stammered, running his hand back through that beautiful fucking hair, and Steve studied him.

He thought the guy was goddamned adorable. He was tall and naturally muscular but his frame appeared softened by the beige sweater and varsity style jacket he wore with jeans and black winter boots. Steve was a sucker for a man in a sweater. His jeans, Steve noticed, practically clung to his muscular thighs. Jesus, Mary and Joseph - those thighs.

Steve almost asked if Bucky came there often, but stopped, telling himself no, the line was way too cheesy, even though they were in a bookstore and not a bar.

_But say something, Rogers._

That’s when he noticed the book in Bucky’s hands, _We Have Always Lived in the Castle._ “Shirley Jackson, huh?” Steve tried.

Bucky stopped for a moment, looking confused. The way his brows furrowed at an upward angle in the middle made him look like a puppy. It was endearing but at the same time, Steve couldn’t help but kick himself for making it more awkward.

“Oh!” Bucky blushed, looking down at the book he was still holding. “Yeah, it’s for a 20th Century Lit Study at NYU. My copy’s seen better days so I came to pick up another.”

“Really?” Steve asked, taken aback and tone surprised. At his apparent age, Bucky seemed like someone who would be finished with school already, but maybe Steve was assuming too much. It was possible he was a late enrollee, or just going back. “You a Liberal Arts major?”

Bucky cocked his head at Steve again, this time with a pleased grin, one side of his lips rising higher than the other in a perfectly imperfect crooked little way. He looked at Steve fondly, like he said just the right thing. And really, it was almost impossible that a man built like Bucky could be into iconic novels of the 20th century, and also so soft and innocent seeming at the same time. It was ridiculous.

“No,” Bucky blushed and bit his lip, looking down at the book. “I’m teaching it... Uh, online through the extension. I just figured it would give me somethin’ to do with my free time, ya know?” Bucky rambled, blushing a little darker and looking down at the book in his hands again.

_Jesus,_ Steve thought.

He added intelligent and adorable to his mental list of all things that made Bucky fuckable.

“You gonna introduce me?” Sam asked, knocking into Steve’s shoulder, pulling both men back into the moment. They were so wrapped up in their pathetic attempt at a conversation, neither noticed Sam approaching the table.

Steve awkwardly turned back to his friend, who of course, was wearing a shit-eating grin. Because, _Sam._

Bucky cleared his throat and confidently stuck out his hand, nodding in greeting, “Hey man, I’m Bucky.”

“Sam, ‘s up?” Sam nodded back, shaking Bucky’s hand easily.

Steve noticed the immediate change in Bucky’s demeanor. With Sam, he was self-assured. With Sam, he didn’t stumble over his words, or even blush for that matter. It gave Steve the tiniest bit of hope in his original impression that Bucky introduced himself for maybe more than platonic reasons. The thought gave Steve’s heart another one of those little sparks before he pushed it back down. It wasn’t the place or time, probably.

“Ready?” Sam asked Steve, holding up a bag full of baby books and stuffed animals. Steve’s brows rose in surprise as he eyed the bag.

“You leave anything for the rest of Brooklyn?” he smirked, then looked back to Bucky. “Sam’s got eight month old twins.”

Steve didn’t know why he blurted that fact out. They didn’t even know each other, and really, _what the fuck, Rogers?_

Bucky’s eyes brightened and he grinned wide. “Hey, me too.”

Steve felt his wall going up, he knew the guy was too good to be true.

Bucky must have noticed the change, because he stammered out more, trying to clarify what he'd just said. “Well - I mean - they’re not _mine…_ They’re my kid sisters. But twins are great, congratulations.”

“Thanks, man,” Sam replied with a shit-eating grin, clearly enjoying watching Bucky trip and fall all over himself. “Hey, good to meet you,” he answered with a friendly tone.

Sam really was The Best.

“Yeah, you too,” Bucky answered easily. His gaze turned back to Steve and he blushed, nervously biting down on his lip. _Again._ He ran a hand through his hair, looking nervously down to his book and then back up to Steve. “So I guess I’ll uh - I’ll see you around, Steve?”  

Steve shifted his weight in thought. He wanted more time to talk to Bucky, to see where this _thing_ hanging in the air between them would go, but he was out with Sam, and they had plans.

“Yeah, I hope so,” Steve nodded, a little smirk daring to break the seriousness of his features, but then Sam butted in at the perfect time. In true wingman fashion, he elbowed Steve in the side and nodded to Bucky.

“You gonna get his number or what?”

Both men froze as they looked at each other, eyes wide. Bucky was the first to recover.

“Wow, thanks Sam,” Bucky laughed good naturedly, a hand running through his hair again, going to the back of his neck and rubbing at it.

“Samuel Thomas,” Steve growled low. Fucking Sam just put him out there like that. Sam was Steve’s best friend, he was awesome and all but he could also be a real dick sometimes. Case in point, he flashed a shit-eating grin and gave Steve an innocent shrug that wasn't innocent at all.

Steve looked back to Bucky, ready to apologize, but Bucky just stood there with his phone in his hand, ready to give it to Steve so he could add his number. His cheeks were flushed pink but his pretty gray eyes danced with a hopeful grin as he nibbled the inside of his cheek nervously.

And yeah, maybe this could work. Bucky took Sam’s teasing well, and that actually said a lot about a person. Steve took Bucky’s phone and called his own, saving the contact for him before they parted ways.


	4. The Wilsons

“I swear, I’m going back to work tomorrow. At least my orders get followed at the station,” Maria sighed dramatically as she flopped down on the sofa next to Sam. “But just for a minute. I’d miss my boogers too much,” she smiled happily, breaking her mock-serious tone.

Steve huffed a laugh at the exasperation of his friend. Outside of his own Ma, he’d never seen a mother adore her children the way Maria adored hers and Sam's girls. Even so, after everything she’d gone through to get Port Authority Command to agree to giving her a full year off with keeping her seniority, he knew she wouldn’t let her squad down. Sure, she joked about going back to work early and all, but Steve knew that when her year was up and the day finally came, it would kill her.

Sam drew Maria into his embrace and pressed a soft kiss to her lips. “You’re the best momma ever, sugar.”

Maria grinned up and playfully narrowed her bright blue eyes at Sam, playfully smacking him in the chest. “You’re biased.”

“Damn right, I am,” Sam admitted, pulling Maria in for a kiss that made Steve wonder if they forgot he was sitting right there, thank you very much.

He took that moment to dig the book he’d gotten for Maria out of his bag. He cleared his throat and handed it over to her when they finally parted. “Jesus, you two are gross.”

Maria giggled, taking the package and settling back into Sam’s space. “What’s this?”

“It’s the one I’ve been lookin’ for. Got some of the best illustrations of the Disney classics.”

Maria’s eyes lit up when she unwrapped the book and she ran her hands lovingly over the golden foil embossed cover. When she opened it, she had about the same reaction as Steve. “Oh,” she breathed, “this is beautiful, Steve. I really can’t thank you enough.”

Steve waved his hand in her direction, clearly happy with Maria’s reaction but not wanting to make too big of a deal over it. “It’s the least I could do. I’m sorry I wasn’t here when they were born.”

Sam, being Sam, took that moment to be _Sam._ “Hey,” he interrupted, “tell Maria about Bookstore Bucky,” he prodded, kicking his feet up on the coffee table and rubbing behind Maria’s neck and shoulders with a heavy and gentle hand.

“Who’s Bookstore Bucky?” Maria asked, soft blue eyes lighting up in intrigue with her smile as she sat forward to give Sam a better angle to rub her back. She was excited, eager to hear about Steve meeting someone not through Natasha, the self-appointed, veritable queen of setting people up, even though none of her attempts for Steve had been successful.

Like, ever.

“Was he hot?”

“Oh my God, so fuckin’ hot,” Steve laughed, his hands running down his face. “I got his number but-”

“-I’m sorry, who got his number?” Sam interrupted again.

Steve gave Sam a look and Sam actually giggled, still so proud of himself for earlier. “As I was saying,” Steve continued, rolling his eyes, “he’s super hot, but a total nerd, too. An adorable one, with a killer body. He’s teaching a Lit Study through NYU for fun.”

Maria snorted a laugh. “Wait - you found a smart, hot guy that teaches literature for fun? That’s gotta be like, the trifecta or something, right?” Sam nodded in agreement. She wasn’t wrong. “Jesus, Steve, you gotta marry him. Like _now.”_

Steve slouched back further into the deep sofa and rested his hands lazily on his abdomen. “Meh,” he shrugged, “Doubt I’ll hear from him. He’s almost too perfect. My luck, he’s married or something.”

“Uh, _hello…_ You got his number too, Steve. This ain’t DC and you don’t have the world’s greatest wing-man for nothin’.”

Maria shot Sam an adoring look that also told him what a pain in the ass he was. Sam knew exactly what Maria was saying, too, because he reluctantly eased up a little on Steve.

“Tell me more about him,” Maria demanded, tucking her legs up underneath herself on the sofa.

Just then, through the monitor, they heard the beginnings of one of the girls stirring from her nap. Steve paused, waiting for Maria to head upstairs for the nursery, but she stayed put and waved off the sound from the monitor. “She’ll fuss it out for a little bit before she actually wakes up.”

So Steve obliged, telling Maria all about Bucky’s pretty gray eyes, his sweet smile and hair that was a tad bit too long and messy but fit him perfectly. Of course, he left his killer thighs for last, because that’s what you do.

You always save the best for last.

The girls finally woke from their afternoon nap, and Steve spent some time crawling around on the floor with them - or rather - they crawled all over him. He was enamored by their fascination with his blond hair, and yes, their ability to chew on everything in sight. Everything went into their mouths - fingers, toys, you name it. Sam was right.

It just made Steve love them more. He picked them both up, one on each hip and settled back on the sofa while Sam got their bottles ready. Maria came back out from the kitchen and took little Riley, but when Sam went to take Sarah, Steve met him with a challenging glare instead of giving him back his daughter.

“You’re smokin’ crack if you think you’re gettin’ Sarah away from me,” Steve teased. “Your wife already stole Riley.”

Sam conceded, handing Steve the other bottle and raising his hands up in surrender. He sat back with Maria and she leaned into his side, Riley on her lap.  

Steve and Sarah

  

Steve tucked Sarah into his arms and she happily took her bottle, her pudgy little hand wrapping around his fingers. He looked down at the beautiful girl, her downy soft dark curly hair framing her heart shaped face. The girls had the softest skin with a hint of pink in their cheeks from their momma, and sparkling dark brown eyes like their daddy. Steve’s heart warmed for his friends. They were truly blessed to have their little family, and parenting clearly suited them.

Later, when Sam disappeared into the kitchen to check on the chicken cacciatore Maria had in the oven, she watched Steve and the girls fondly as they played on the floor. “I’m so happy you came back home, Steve. I miss your Ma like crazy, but it’s just so good to have you back.”

Steve looked back down at the girls, tickling them and blowing raspberries against their bellies just to hear their contagious laughs. He loved both of the girls immeasurably, but he had to admit, there was a special bond he shared with Sarah. Maybe it was because she was his Ma’s namesake, or maybe it was because the little girl always went for him first.

“I’m glad I came home, too.”

He pressed another kiss to Sarah’s forehead, then Riley’s and smiled softly up at Maria, the bitter-sweetness gradually fading from the thought. His Ma lived a life full of love. Steve was her only child, and his dad died when he was just a baby, but that didn’t stop them from having a big family. Maria, Sam and Natasha were all part of it, and now he had the girls too. He couldn’t imagine life without them ever again.

The Wilsons

~*~

That evening, Steve looked at the number on his missed calls from when he used Bucky’s phone to call his own. He thought about texting him to say hi, but surprisingly was too wrapped up in nerves to even figure out what to say. And wasn’t that was a new development? Steve Rogers actually hesitating about hooking up with a guy?

Bucky was something else, a real multi-dimensional seeming man, but there was one thing Steve’s brain kept going back to. He couldn’t help but wonder if there was a wild side under that shy, innocent face. He wondered - was it weird that the thought of pulling the sweet, careful facade out from under Bucky’s feet turned him on? Taking him apart piece by piece with his hands, his mouth, until there was nothing left but a writhing, desperate man?

_No. Stop it, brain. You too dick, nobody asked you._

It had just been too long since Steve had gotten laid, is what it was. The last few hookups in DC didn’t count, and the memory made him shake his head and frown. The guy was a bit of an asshole, and not even good in bed to boot. Steve should have known any guy named _Brock_ wouldn’t have much to offer him.


	5. The First Text

Bucky gave it time. As much as it killed him - and it did because he had to physically put his phone in the other room to keep from texting Steve straight away - he waited.

_ Don’t do it yet. You’ll come off as pushy, or worse, creepy. _

So he didn’t text him yet. He graded some assignments, uploaded the lesson plan for the following weeks, prepared the ones after that and did some chores around his apartment. Basically, he did anything he could think of to keep his mind off of the beautiful blond guy with the amazing eyes and even prettier smile. But when he heard his phone ping with a text notification, he all but jumped up off the couch. 

Literally. 

At least nobody saw it. Fury, the angry fucking Betta fish judgmentally swimming through the roots of his peace lily plant didn’t count. Fuck him, that fish was a total dick. 

Bucky stopped himself and casually walked into the small hallway to check the phone and his face fell. It was Tony.

Not that Tony wasn’t a great guy, he was one of Bucky’s oldest, closest friends, practically family. Tony’s dad Howard had been a sort of mentor and stand-in father to Bucky as a kid after his own dad up and left his Ma with Bucky and three little sisters right after the twins were born. 

Bucky’s Ma was a saint. She worked her ass off, dealt with an ugly divorce, an angry teenage son and three little girls who desperately needed a father figure, all while keeping a positive outlook on life and being nothing but loving to her children. But... she wasn’t a father, and she knew Howard was a good man, so she encouraged Bucky’s time at Tony’s. It wasn’t until Bucky came home from engineering club late one night senior year that he finally, for the first time, realized Winnie Barnes wasn't always the rock she made herself out to be. It was a harsh realization for a self-centered teen who was pissed off at the world, realizing said world did not, in fact, revolve around himself. From that day forward, he vowed to be the man the girls needed, and the son Winnie Barnes deserved.

Bucky picked up his phone, and as he did it pinged again. Curious what it was that had Tony so impatient, he checked the screen, then promptly fumbled it making it crash to the floor.

_ “Shit!”  _ he muttered, scrambling to pick the phone up and saying about a million different prayers to whatever gods were listening that his screen didn’t crack. 

“Steve…” Bucky breathed, half out of shock and the rest in relief. Steve beat him to it. He texted Bucky first, actually took him up on the number thing his friend Sam suggested. Bucky had to wonder if Sam had anything to do with it. The guy wasn’t exactly subtle, and Bucky imagined Steve would never hear the end of it if he didn’t at least say, but at the same time he didn’t imagine Steve got pushed around very much. There was something too powerful about him, an easy confidence.

 

**Steve:** Hi Bucky, it’s Steve from the bookstore. I hope you’re having a good evening. How’s the Lit class going?

 

Bucky couldn’t believe his luck. Not only was Steve one of the most beautiful guys Bucky had ever laid eyes on, the guy used proper grammar and punctuation. He had to think for a moment, and try to get himself together for God’s sake. He was a grown fucking man and here he was, all nervous. It brought him right back to that time he asked out a kid in high school, the nerves were that bad. 

But really, Steve seemed like a cool guy. There wasn’t any reason to get so crazy about a text message, right? Tony would tell Bucky he was just being a dumb ass. 

_ Oh, yeah. Tony.  _

He’d have to get back to Tony a little later.

 

**Bucky:** Hi Steve! It’s going well, thanks. I have some bright students this term. Did you and Sam have a good time hanging out?

 

It was good, Bucky thought. Casual and open-ended. God, he was so out of practice, he didn't know what else to say. Between working, helping his Ma with the girls, and teaching, he hadn’t dated in years. Literally. And yes, most of that was his own doing, but it also wasn’t like there was a hotbed of action in the things he spent his time on. Even so, most of the people he had been introduced to through mutual friends just didn’t do it for him. 

Add on top of that, being Vice President and Chief Development Officer at Stark Industries meant dating co-workers was off limits. Not officially, but  _ someone  _ in the C-suite had to set an example, goddammit. Tony obviously wasn’t that guy, never had been, so that left Bucky. Besides, there was a reason Bucky didn’t date; as much as he liked to blame it on work, or being busy with his family, he knew it was bullshit.

 

**Steve:** We did, I try to hang out with Sam and his family whenever I can, and the girls are my goddaughters. They're growing so fast, it just blows me away! 

**Steve:** Hey have you ever heard of something called Anusara yoga? My friend teaches it and I’m taking a class tomorrow night. I have to admit I’m a little hesitant considering some of the other things she’s convinced me to try...

**Bucky:** No I haven’t. What’s that?

**Steve:** Not completely sure, something about oneness and having a connection to everything, probably mixed with kicking my ass. I dunno. I’ve always been crazy flexible, so I told her I’d give it a try.

 

It took Bucky a minute to respond to that one, the visuals were almost too much. Steve was hot as hell, bright  _ and  _ crazy flexible? Man, Bucky really hit the jackpot when they met. He tried to focus on their conversation rather than the way his brain kept going back to picturing Steve sweaty, flushed, with his body stretching in all sorts of positions.

_ Jesus. _

 

**Bucky:** Oneness and kicking your ass, huh? Sounds like fun. What else has she convinced you to try?

**Steve:** When we were kids we used to do Jujitsu. She always hated being paired with the girls because she was so much better than the few that were there. Since we were the same weight, she convinced the instructor to let her spar with me, and it’s never really stopped.  **:)** We’re competitive as hell with each other, so naturally, anytime she finds something she thinks she can kick my ass at, she suggests it. We’ve also tried Parkour and Art Classes. We were pretty evenly matched at Parkour, but I can draw circles around her.

**Bucky:** She sounds awesome... Who usually won at Jujitsu? 

**Steve:** Depends on who you ask **;)**

**Bucky:** LOL I’ll remember that if I ever get to meet her. So you’re from around here?

**Steve:** Brooklyn born and raised. I moved to DC about two years ago for work but then came back to take care of my Ma before she passed. I decided I‘m staying put this time; I really missed everyone while I was gone.

**Bucky:** Oh wow, I’m sorry Steve. Did she pass recently?

**Steve:** Thank you Bucky. Yes, it was about a month ago. Cancer hit her hard and fast but I was able to come home and keep her as comfortable as possible. That’s the best any of us can do for our family, right? How about you… Are you from around here too?

**Bucky:** Yeah, I grew up in Bed-Stuy. Still live there, actually. My twins are fourteen now and I try to help our Ma out with them as much as I can. My other kid sister Becca is in her last year of school up at Harvard Law. I’m so proud of her **:)**

**Steve:** Law school, that’s great! 

**Bucky:** Would you like to grab coffee sometime? I don’t know what your schedule is, but I’m free Tuesday evening after work. Maybe around 5:30ish? You know, if you survive that yoga class tomorrow...

**Steve:** LOL Yeah, I’d really like that. Where do you want to meet? I work out of the Navy Yard, so 5:30 is great.

**Bucky:** There’s a place just down the street from the bookstore called Claire’s, it's been there forever and they have the best pies. Do you know it?

**Steve:** I know it well, actually. 

**Bucky:** Have you ever tried their spiced cherry pie? It’s literally to die for!

**Steve:** Can’t say that I have. Maybe I’ll save that first for when I’m with you  **;)**

 

Bucky grinned and blushed when he read Steve’s last message. His heart couldn’t help but skip a beat at the thought of doing other first things with Steve. 

_ No. Calm the fuck down, Barnes. It’s just coffee and casual flirting. _

Bucky had to admit, he was really into Steve. He tried - and failed - to come up with something clever to say back, but had nothing. He liked the guy, liked him a lot and there was this bizarre, strong pull that he felt when they were in the bookstore that he was totally jonesing for more of. He couldn’t wait until Tuesday, so he told him so. 

Since the date was set and it was getting late, the conversation died down naturally with each of them having to get ready for the upcoming Monday grind. Bucky put his phone back on the charger by his bed and made it halfway to the bathroom to brush his teeth before he remembered Tony texted him earlier, so he called him back.

“Oh my God, it lives,” Tony teased as he answered the phone. 

Bucky snorted and grinned. “Hey, Tony, how’re you doin’?”

“Did you read my text?”

“Uh, no. I just called you back instead.”

Bucky heard Tony scoff. “Jesus, Barnes. You’re killin’ me here. Pepper got your meeting moved to first thing in the morning. Well, first thing LA time at least.”

Relief flooded through Bucky and he sighed with it. He’d been trying to get the date moved up for weeks, and he really didn’t want their new project delayed any further than it already was. Tomorrow was great news.

“You there, Buckster?”

“I am,  _ Anthony.  _ How many times have I asked you to stop calling me that?”

Tony laughed. “Let’s see, probably for as long as I’ve been telling you you’re not my mother. Only she gets to call me Anthony.”


	6. A Good Day

Bucky woke with a grin on his lips Tuesday morning. 

The Web-ex on Monday with Stark Industries and the NASA people at Jet Propulsion Laboratories went better than expected. Their private sector was really booming and if there was one thing to be said about California, it was they were heavily into renewable energy. 

Bucky’s commute was even smooth. On the train, there was an open seat and he was able to enjoy his coffee and the latest  _ Science Vs _ podcast, which happened to feature Neil DeGrasse Tyson. Call him a super-nerd, but Bucky loved that guy. 

The whole morning seemed to be working in Bucky’s favor. That was, until it wasn’t.

He looked down, his phone vibrating in his hand and saw it was a message from Pepper. 

 

**Pepper:** I have you and Tony on a flight this evening out to LA. The guys from NASA want to go over the specs in person. They said it’s just the one last time to verify compatibility. I'm sorry this is so last minute. 

**Bucky:** What time tonight? I have some pretty important plans already. 

**Pepper:** I know, but Tony assured me you could still teach the class from there. Was he speaking before thinking again? My apologies Bucky. The flight leaves at 6pm.

 

Bucky could practically hear the exasperation in Pepper’s message. How she dealt with Tony as well as she did, and for as long as she had, Bucky had no idea. There was definitely a reserved parking space in heaven with her name on it.

But his date… Bucky supposed it was exactly what he got for having no social life. Everyone assumed he was just teaching, so he was going to have to change that, because missing coffee, and hopefully dinner with Steve simply wasn’t going to happen. He was determined to put himself out there this time. For Steve, and for himself.

 

**Bucky:** It’s okay, Pepper. What time do we need to be there?

**Pepper:** You meet with them again at 9am tomorrow their time. 

**Bucky:** Excellent! We do have to change the flight, though. I’ll let Tony know I can’t leave until tomorrow morning. If we fly out of here at 5am, then we should be fine. See if we can use Burbank Airport instead of Santa Monica because that will shave off even more time.

**Pepper:** It’s okay, Bucky. I’ll let him know. He’ll just have to get up before me for once in his spoiled life **:)**

~*~

“What the Buck, Fucky?” Tony grumbled, barging into Bucky’s office around eleven-thirty and flopping down dramatically in a chair. 

Bucky scowled and furiously waved a hand at Tony to tell him to shush. He absolutely hated it when Tony played with his name like that. He should be used to it, but it was the bane of his existence, really. Tony could be The Worst.

“Yes, I understand,” he answered into the phone’s receiver. “Right... That should be fine... Thank you so much.” 

Bucky hung up the phone and stood to shove Tony’s feet off the edge of his desk. Simply because Tony looked personally offended, Bucky grinned as he sat back silently, folding his hands in his lap. 

“Well?” Tony demanded impatiently, practically wiggling out of his seat in annoyance.

“Yes, Tony? What is it?”

Tony’s eyes bulged. “Five in the morning! You’re fucking kidding, right?”

“No, I’m not, actually.”

“Seriously!” Tony was officially unable to sit any longer. “You can do that teaching thing from anywhere! It’s not like it’s Thursday night for God’s sake.”

_ Right. Thursday.  _

On Thursdays, Bucky cooked for his Ma and sisters. It was known as Test Prep Thursday in the Barnes home, where they spent the evening catching up and studying for whatever the girls had coming the next day. When the realization that Tony knew his schedule far better than his own hit him, Bucky absolutely resolved to change some things. 

But still, trolling Tony was too much fun to let it stop so soon. 

“What can I say? I have plans,” Bucky shrugged with a smirk as he valiantly fought back a full blown shit-eating grin. Tony threw up in his hands in a huff and began pacing Bucky’s office, practically wearing a groove in the plush rug at the front of Bucky’s desk.

“Five in the morning... Jesus, Barnes, what the hell is so important that you’re willing to get up for a five am flight? I mean, it’s not like-” and then he stopped short and gasped, eyes widened. 

Tony looked scandalized, and Bucky threw his head back, laughing loudly at Tony’s reaction. God, his friend could be so dramatic sometimes.

“Oh. My. God. Barnes, you’re gonna get laid?” Tony asked, coming face to face with Bucky across his desk. He laughed maniacally and fist pumped the air. “Holy shit, you’re gonna get laid!”

“Jesus, Tony!” Bucky shushed, scrambling to his door and apologizing to his assistant before pushing it shut. “You can’t just go around declaring stuff like that! And no, I’m not getting laid.”

Tony plopped back down in the chair, confusion furrowing his brow. 

“Wait - you’re not? But it’s a date, right? You’re going on a date,” he declared, sitting forward in interest. “Is it a girl?”

Nothing.

“Oh. A guy, then? Do I know him?”

“Alright, alright,” Bucky surrendered, slumping and putting his hands up in defeat. “Yes, it’s a date, but it’s just coffee, and maybe dinner… If he’s up for it.”

“Hah! So it is a he,” Tony snapped his fingers and pointed at Bucky in satisfaction. Bucky ducked his head, running his fingers through his hair and blushing. “Ooh, it’s  _ quite _ the he, isn’t it?”

“What do you mean?”

Tony sighed dramatically. “You know you’ve done that same thing since we were kids, right? The running your fingers through your hair whenever you’re nervous about a guy thing. It’s been happening since like, forever.”

Bucky looked up, narrowing his eyes at Tony, surprised he noticed something so subconscious, considering how clueless he seemed to be about Bucky's identity. He picked up a pad of mini post-its and launched it at Tony’s head, making him duck and squawk indignantly. 

Tony got to his feet and opened the door so he could leave, but stopped again. “Nobody likes a sore loser, Barnes. All I know is if I gotta wake up that early, you damn well better at least try to get some.” 

“Tony!”

Tony spun and took off running, giggling his ass off as Bucky threw a pen in his general direction. The unsatisfying clack of it against the metal door frame left Bucky with his head in his hands and his cheeks heated. Making it even worse, was the fact that he could hear his assistant Megan at her desk, trying - and failing - to contain her laughter.

About an hour later, Bucky got a message from his building Super and college buddy, Clint. He opened it to find a photo of a large package and a message for him to stop by when he got home.

 

**Clint:** It’s for Becca. I’ll be home all evening so no rush.

**Bucky:** Thanks Clint. I’ll probably be home pretty late tonight. Is that okay? 

**Clint:** Anytime, man. I got some good stuff and you know the door’s always open.

**Bucky:** Cool thanks!

 

Bucky grinned. Clint was The Best. He always made sure the building was in top shape and never gave anyone shit for bending the rules just a little bit. The fact that he was a veritable connoisseur of pot was an added bonus, and he was always down to share. Not that Bucky was was a pothead, _ per se,  _ there were just times he needed to de-stress is all. He’d harbored an anxiety disorder ever since things started to get bad between his parents, but it wasn't until undergrad that he discovered the benefits of pot, when Becca hit puberty. She was a total pain in the ass and drove him absolutely fucking nuts sometimes. 

He loved her anyway. 

Bucky met Clint in the ASL class they were both taking for elective credits. It was a blast; they had gone from Novice all the way through Advanced ASL together, and study group turned into hanging out. Soon after, hanging out turned into getting baked, and when a unit opened in Clint’s building a few years later when Bucky had his shit together, he jumped on it. 

Like most things Clint touched, he was an absolute genius. It made no sense. The guy hardly had to try in ASL. Top that off, he was an expert in Archery, and had even medaled in the Olympics twice. Bucky had to work harder for his success, and soon learned that lighting up with Clint on a regular basis wasn’t going to get him very far in life.

~*~

It wasn’t very long before Bucky got wrapped up in another project and the remainder of the day whizzed by. Before he knew it, it was time to head back to Brooklyn to meet Steve. A flutter of excitement mixed with nerves twisted in his stomach, and he realized there was a near-permanent grin on his lips.  

He was going to see Steve.


	7. Spiced Cherry Pie

“Hey Bucky,” Steve greeted as he entered the coffee shop. 

Steve had already scoped Bucky out and watched him for a moment as he sat texting away on his phone. There was a serious line between his brows, and Steve wondered what it was that had him so involved. As soon as Bucky looked up, though, he immediately broke out into a warm and endearing smile. 

“Steve! I’ve been lookin’ forward to seeing you all day,” Bucky said grinning wide, the sight making Steve’s heart jump. He rose to greet Steve and met him with a hug that made it hard for Steve not to burrow into Bucky’s embrace, considering how good it felt. The guy was practically designed for him. 

“All day, huh?” Steve teased, staying close and looking up through his lashes. 

Bucky blushed adorably. His pretty eyes sparkled in the warm lighting of the cafe as he shrugged with a nervous grin, “I, uh…”

“Just givin’ you a hard time,” Steve laughed, his hand patting lightly where it rested familiarly on Bucky’s hip. “I’ve been looking forward to it too.”

Bucky felt a warmth spread through his body at the simple contact, the way Steve held his hand against his hip. It was casual with a hint of the possessiveness that Bucky craved. How had he gone so long without it? 

Steve nodded to the booth so they could sit. Bucky seemed to relax when he realized Steve was guiding him back into the booth, and Steve thought about it for a moment. If he didn’t know better - and he didn't, not really - but he thought that by the way Bucky was so nervous he didn’t go out on dates much. But that had to be impossible, right? Looking at him, it really was hard to believe he wasn’t securely attached, or at least pursued on the regular. 

_ He was gorgeous. _

Steve shrugged out of his overcoat, gloves and scarf, pushed his beanie off and took a seat across from Bucky. As he blew out a breath into his hands and rubbed them together, Bucky slid his cup of coffee over and pulled Steve’s hands around the mug, covering them with his own to warm them up. 

The gesture was simple but the genuineness of it warmed more than Steve’s hands. He grinned as he felt warmth coloring his cheeks. “Thanks.”

Bucky softly brushed the tops of Steve’s hands with his thumbs as he shyly grinned back. Just then they were interrupted by a tiny framed older woman as she spoke with a thick Brooklyn accent. 

“Well if it ain’t little Stevie Rogers. Does my Sammy know you’re cheatin’ on him?”

Steve’s eyes widened and Bucky huffed a soft laugh. Steve let go of the mug and held his hands up innocently.

“What? No!” Steve looked to Bucky, horrified by the nickname and afraid Bucky didn’t understand the reference. “Bucky, I’m not- I mean me and Sam aren’t...” he stammered adorably.

The waitress snickered a laugh as she ran her fingers lovingly back through Steve’s hair, brushing it away from his face. “Aw, relax Hun, I’m just givin’ you a hard time. I didn’t know you and Bucky knew each other.”  

“We‘re,” Steve cleared his throat trying to regain some form of dignity, “kinda on a first date here, Ang.”

Bucky watched the exchange with a thoroughly amused grin on his lips. As Angie gasped in delight, her eyes lit up and she shot Bucky a wink. “Well, I think that’s the best news I’ve heard all day! Where’d you two meet anyway?”

“Bookstore down the block,” Bucky answered before looking straight into Steve’s eyes with a little smirk teasing the corners of his lips. He was feeling confident being there with Steve, so he went with it. “Saw this guy and I just had to say hi.”

“I’ll letcha be then. The usual, Steve?”

Steve nodded. “Thank you, Angie.”

He looked back to Bucky who quirked a brow curiously and shot him another one of his beautiful grins, the sight of it doing all kinds of things to Steve. Bucky hands down had one of the best smiles he’d ever seen. The way his eyes crinkled in the corners and his lips stretched just so… 

“So, uh…” Steve began, shooting Bucky a self-deprecating grin and continuing, “Angie’s known me my whole life. She used to babysit my Ma, actually.”

“I sure feel special, Stevie, you introducing me to the family already and all,” Bucky teased.

“Oh do you now?” Steve shot back, huffing a laugh and cocking a brow. Their banter was playful and came easy. “Your turn then, jerk. She seemed pretty familiar with you too, ya know.”

“Well, I have to admit, you’re not the first person I’ve brought here.”

“Oh, okay,” Steve said, at a loss for anything else to say. He was right, then. Bucky dated… a lot? Of course he did. Steve should expect nothing less from a guy so fucking hot. 

Bucky seemed to realize how that sounded as soon as it left his mouth. See, things like that were exactly why Bucky didn’t get out much. Or maybe his awkwardness was just extra _ because _ he didn’t get out enough? The look of sheer mortification on his face made Steve want to draw him into his arms and hug him until he felt better. 

“That’s not - I didn’t, uh, mean like, dates or anything…” he stammered, trying to recover their ease from just moments before. “My kid sisters? I bring ‘em all here about once a month. But lately it’s just been me and the twins since Becca’s been so busy...”

Bucky blushed and pushed his hands back through his hair again. He looked down and fiddled with the edge of the paper place mat and Steve realized the sexy hands in the hair thing Bucky did was actually just a nervous habit. 

“Jesus, I think I’ll shut up now,” Bucky murmured.

Steve studied Bucky for a moment. He was endearing, but honest to a fault. It was refreshing, really. He held Bucky’s gaze and shot him a cocky smirk. “I hope you’re not gonna shut up too much, I kinda like hearing you talk.”

“You do? God, I’m so awkward though.”

“Well, yeah, this part’s always awkward,” Steve motioned between the two of them, “but it’s kinda fun, too. ‘Sides you got a great voice, and talking’s kinda the whole point of this date thing we got goin’ on here.” 

Steve thanked Angie for his hot chocolate, which she quietly slid onto the table as he was talking. It was sprinkled with cinnamon on top of the whipped cream, just how he liked it ever since he was a toddler. She winked back and topped off Bucky’s coffee before leaving them be again.

Bucky huffed a nervous laugh. Steve was right. 

He could do this.

“So? Tell me something I don’t know about you, Buck. Something like…” Steve pursed his lips and tapped his fingers on the table, looking around the cafe. “What’s one of your guilty pleasures?”

_ Buck.  _

Bucky thought he could listen to Steve call him that nickname pretty much indefinitely. He laughed softly, the tension finally leaving his shoulders.

“Hmm, that’s an easy one. I mean, it’s been a while, but I love singing. These days it's mostly in the shower, or while I’m cooking, but after enough liquor I did karaoke at our company Christmas party two years ago.”

“Oh yeah? What do you like to sing?”

Bucky shrugged. “All kinds of random stuff. Sometimes Bon Jovi, or Frankie Valli. Whatever I’m in the mood for, really. The twins got me into Ariana Grande.” 

He huffed a fond laugh, remembering the shenanigans after the party. “You know, after I sang at the party, the next week I come in to my office and it’s decorated like the set of American Idol.”

Steve laughed, a full, hearty sound. “That’s awesome!”

“Seriously, I didn’t think I’d ever live it down!” Bucky blushed, joining in Steve’s laughter. “I mean, Tony’s always pulling some kind of stunt, so ya know, the corporate ADD kicked in pretty quick. But every now and then, if he doesn’t like one of my ideas he’ll just go,  _ ‘It’s a no for me, dawg.’ _ ”

Steve laughed again, tipping his head back and grabbing his chest. Bucky admired the long, graceful line of his neck and how his eyes crinkled. He couldn’t help it, really. Steve had an infectious laugh and with the way his bright blue eyes danced in amusement, he seemed larger than life.

“That funny, huh, punk?” Bucky couldn’t help the lighthearted feeling he got around Steve. God, it was addicting.

Steve covered his mouth and snorted back another round of laughter, taking a drink of his hot chocolate. He swallowed, nodding. “Come on... Admit it, it’s hilarious.”

“Yeah, you got me there,” Bucky agreed. He leaned forward the slightest bit and cocked a brow at Steve. “Okay, my turn... First kiss. Go.”

Steve cringed and wrinkled his nose. “Ugh. Okay, so… it was the summer I turned fourteen. I wasn’t out yet, and this group of us from school all went to Coney Island. We were on the Wonder Wheel…”

“Aw, that’s like every kid’s dream growin’ up!” Bucky grinned.

“Oh no, it gets worse.”

“Worse?” Bucky asked, cocking his head in confusion.

“Yeah, we'd all just been on the Cyclone. My stomach was in knots, and I thought it was because I was nervous.”

“Oh no.”

“Oh yeah.” Steve scrubbed a hand down his face and crinkled his nose again adorably at the memory. 

“This pretty blonde and I, Sharon? We were in one of those sliding cages. She leaned right over and kissed me, and I pulled away like she was on fire just in time to yack all over the floor.”

“Oh no, Steve!”

“Yup! Told ya it got worse,” Steve shrugged, shaking his head in amusement at the memory. “How about you?”

Their conversation went on, and finding things to talk about came naturally. When they’d both had their fill of hot drinks, Steve suggested they order dinner, which Bucky was more than happy to agree to. He didn’t want to end his time with Steve yet, so they ate and talked more, and then ordered a dessert to share. It was odd, really, how they frequented so many of the same places yet hadn’t run into each other before. 

“Maybe we have and just didn’t realize it?” Steve offered.

Bucky shook his head and leaned in, feeling emboldened by the way Steve held his eyes when they spoke, like he was the only other man in the world. Steve’s confidence was infectious, and it only cemented Bucky’s original theory about him. He really was just  _ so much man _ . The universe probably wouldn’t be big enough to contain him if the outside proportionately matched the inside. Bucky’s heart beat furiously against his chest as he looked deep into those impossibly blue eyes, taking Steve’s hand in his own. 

“Nah, I would have known. You’re not the kind of guy I’d be able to forget, Stevie.”

Angie took that moment to interrupt with a hot piece of pie topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. They both sat back a fraction, but didn’t let go of each other quite yet. 

“Thanks, Ang,” Steve grinned, not looking away from Bucky.  

When Angie brought their hot tea and fresh napkins, they finally parted, and Steve instantly missed the feeling of Bucky’s hand in his own. Warmth practically radiated from him and it took every ounce of self control just to keep from climbing into Bucky’s lap and kissing him stupid right then and there. 

“Here, taste this, Steve,” Bucky said, taking a fork. He made sure there was the perfect amount of cherries and crust to mix with the ice cream. 

Steve tasting spiced cherry pie for the first time was a memory Bucky would always hold onto. Hell, he might even think about it later that night while while literally holding onto something else. It was the way Steve’s mouth opened, plush lips parting, his pink tongue darting out just enough to take the fork, pie and ice cream all at once. Suddenly Bucky's pants were a little too tight and it was hotter than he remembered inside the cafe. He could feel his cheeks flushing so he cleared his throat nervously. 

“Like it?” Bucky asked, trying to convince his body to calm the fuck down.

It didn’t work. 

Steve moaned and his eyes fluttered closed as he nodded. “Mhmm, it's so good, Buck.” 


	8. Teasing, Lingering

When Angie came by to bid Steve and Bucky goodnight at the end of her shift, they realized just how long they’d been at the cafe. The hours had flown as they spent the evening talking, laughing, flirting. Bucky took care of the check, even though Steve insisted on paying his half. Bucky shook his head, arguing it was his right, since he’d done the asking. 

“We should probably call it a night, though,” Bucky sighed regretfully, lightly trailing his thumb across Steve’s knuckles. 

“Yeah, you’ve got that early flight.”

Bucky groaned dramatically but neither of them made any effort to move. “I still need to pack up, too.”

“I bet LA’s great this time of year. Well, all year really,” Steve said, leaning in closer and resting his chin on his free hand. “You could bring your swimsuit.”

Bucky shrugged. “Sounds good, but I won’t have any time on this trip. It’s all work and then I’ve got grading to do.”

“Still,” Steve smirked, cocking a brow as his free hand moved to lightly trace shapes into the skin at the inside of Bucky’s wrist, “won’t stop me from thinking of you all warm, layin’ in the sun, water on your skin, wearing nothin’ but wet shorts.”

Bucky blinked slow and swallowed thickly. “Jesus, Steve.”

“Hey,” he grinned with an innocent shrug, loving the way Bucky was having trouble forming words. “A guy can appreciate what’s in front of him, can’t he?”

It took a moment for Bucky to find the brain capacity to speak again, between Steve’s boldness and the sensations traveling up his arm from the inside of his wrist where Steve’s fingers lingered. 

Steve smirked. “Come on, Buck. I know you gotta get packed; let’s get outta here.”

Once outside, Steve and Bucky both adjusted their scarves against the weather. As if by way of divine intervention, the wind had all but stopped. It was still fucking cold, but not miserable.

Steve nodded in the direction of his place. “I’m that way, you?”

“Yeah, me too. Mind if I walk you?”

Steve threaded his arm through Bucky’s and tugged, walking closely. They walked quietly at first, but when Bucky spoke, he pulled Steve in closer to his side by wrapping an arm around his shoulders. Steve immediately returned the gesture, holding onto Bucky’s waist and leaning in closer when they stopped at an intersection. The light turned and they began moving again, their more leisurely pace in direct contrast to everyone else scurrying about in the cold.

“I’m really glad I met you, Steve.”

“Me too, Buck.” Steve huffed a laugh, thinking of how now he could finally tell Natasha where to stick it. He didn’t want to be set up anymore. He just wanted Bucky, and he hoped to hell that the feeling was mutual.

“What’s so funny?” Bucky asked, lightly checking Steve with his hip as they walked.

Steve looked up, bright eyes sparkling mischievously through his ridiculously long lashes. “Just thinkin’ about how Nat’s gonna lose her mind is all. She’s obsessed with setting me up but it’s always a disaster.”

“Always?”

He shrugged. “Pretty much. She got Sam and Maria to admit their feelings for each other years ago and now she thinks she’s a match maker or somethin’.”

“Maybe she just needs a taste of her own medicine,” Bucky suggested. 

Steve pursed his lips, considering. “You got any ideas?”

Suddenly, Clint popped into mind. “I do, actually. My Super is single, I think. He’s a great guy, too… just as long as she won’t mind him lighting up every now and then.”

Steve snorted a laugh. “She’d only mind if it wasn’t good quality. She’s a bit of a connoisseur.”

They shared equally devious grins - Steve and Bucky were officially on a mission. They laughed and plotted most of the way to Steve’s place, and when they arrived at the classy little brownstone, Steve turned reluctantly. 

“This is me,” he said, nodding over his shoulder. 

“That’s a real nice place, Stevie.”

“Thanks, it’s been in the family for generations, I grew up here. Guess it’s mine now.” Steve turned back to  the house briefly, then back to Bucky and their eyes met, each seeming to be asking but not saying anything aloud. “I know you got an early morning and all, but…”

Bucky looked down and kicked at a spot on the concrete with the toe of his boot. He wanted to kiss Steve so bad, but his nerves were getting the best of him again. His heart was pounding furiously against his chest and it was hard to catch a breath. Doubt raced through his mind. Should he open himself up? What of it didn’t work? 

He was making it more complicated than it needed to be.

“Hey Buck,” Steve called softly, tugging on Bucky’s coat. 

Bucky met Steve’s eyes with hopeful hesitation. “Yeah?”

Steve stood there for a moment, eyes trained on Bucky’s mouth, visually tracing the curve of his lips before meeting those pretty gray eyes again. His hand slid up Bucky’s chest to his shoulder and he gripped Bucky’s collar, leaning up slowly. He did everything slow enough for Bucky to back away if he didn’t want to be kissed. 

Bucky parted his lips the tiniest bit for Steve, eyes fluttering closed as they met each other with gentle pressure. Their first kiss was chaste and sweet, just a soft press of their lips, but it was followed by more as Steve wrapped his arms around Bucky’s strong shoulders, his breath softly fanning against Bucky’s lips. 

The thrill of it awakened a confidence and desire in Bucky that had long since been buried. His head spun and he kissed back with passion, deepening the kiss and daring to taste Steve, whose lips parted beautifully for him. And god, Steve tasted of spiced cherry pie, and warmth, and everything Bucky didn’t realize was missing in his life. 

They parted reluctantly, each a little breathless, but couldn’t manage to put much distance between themselves. Steve dove back in, grasping Bucky’s jaw with his gloved hands, the cold around them only adding to the contrast of the heat between their lips. Bucky softly sighed into Steve’s mouth, and didn’t let go except to reach out and pull Steve’s scarf down enough to expose his neck. 

The soft skin that had been teasing Bucky all evening was finally under his lips, and being able to taste it was even better than he’d hoped. Steve groaned from the heat of Bucky’s lips as they worked their way across his skin and up to his ear, the light stubble from Bucky’s jaw against Steve’s neck bringing to mind all kinds of other places it would feel good.

_ “Fuck…” _ Steve breathed when Bucky kissed his neck again, lightly biting into the flesh there, and then tugged on his earlobe with his teeth. The sensations were going straight to Steve’s dick. 

Bucky was everything Steve wanted. He was warm, and sweet, and shy at first, but perfect in every way. His strong arms wrapped around Steve’s body, pulling him close, giving Steve that glimpse of the passionate man he just knew was there underneath it all, dying to be set free. 

He wanted to be the one to do it.

There were too many goddamn layers between them. 

_ “Bucky,”  _ Steve whispered breathy, playfully nipping up at Bucky’s lips, his mind swimming with want, with need. “Christ, Buck, please tell me you bottom.”

Bucky pulled back breathless, looking into Steve’s eyes, burning bright with desire. He was speechless, the possibility of intimacy almost too fast and real and right in front of him. The thought of Steve touching him everywhere, holding him down and fucking him into the mattress... fuck yeah, he bottomed, but his brain wasn't exactly up to verbalizing anything coherent at the moment. All he could do was nod silently before diving back into Steve’s waiting mouth, a soft whimper escaping from his lips. When they finally parted again, Steve broke out into a wide, devious smile and cocked a brow up at him. 

“Come inside with me,” Steve growled lowly, pulling on the lapel of Bucky’s jacket, but  Bucky reluctantly pulled back, hands squeezing at Steve’s narrow waist in an effort to ground himself. With all the nervous energy, the absolute desire and need coursing through his veins it was like he was about to fly apart into a million pieces. He looked deep into Steve’s eyes but then shut his own, biting down on his lip, trying to clear his mind and make the decision before opening them again. 

Steve held Bucky’s gaze right back. Bucky looked wrecked, and it was a goddamned beautiful sight. His lips were full, red and kiss-swollen. His breath panted out in little puffs against the bitter cold, and his pretty gray eyes were shining and dark from the way his pupils dilated, blown wide in desire.

“Steve, I-” 

Bucky’s heart was in his throat, his stomach felt like he was on the best kind of roller coaster... and the rest of his body? Suffice it to say it was more than interested. Bucky pressed his forehead to Steve’s, not letting go of his hips and squeezed his eyes shut again. 

“I can’t," he whispered. "God knows I want to. Fuck, Stevie - I want you so bad.” He leaned the rest of the way in and captured Steve’s lips again, kissing him for all his worth. Bucky’s hands moved from Steve’s hips up to his jaw as he kissed him stupid, not caring who saw them or how inappropriate they were being on the sidewalk. 

Steve took a chance, gripping Bucky low on his back and pulling their hips against each other as much as possible. Even through all of their cold weather layers, Steve could feel how hard Bucky was, pressed low against the flat of his belly. Bucky groaned in pleasure from the contact, the pressure of Steve held against his body.  Bucky’s deep, throaty tone awakened every nerve ending in Steve. He couldn’t remember ever wanting anyone as much as he wanted Bucky right then and there. He chased Bucky’s lips for one more kiss, disappointed when Bucky pulled back the tiniest bit. 

But Steve knew he’d get him there eventually, so instead of pressuring him, he grinned against his lips, kissing him one last time, nice and sweet and soft. 

Teasing. 

Lingering.

“Fuck your self-control, Bucky Barnes,” he laughed breathily before untangling himself from Bucky’s embrace. Before letting go completely, he rose up on his toes again and pressed a chaste little peck to Bucky’s lips, cocking a brow and stepping back. “Now go on. Get your sexy ass outta here before I try to change your mind.” 

Bucky laughed, but then his features softened as he hesitated, pulling Steve in for a warm, tender hug. He buried his face down into Steve’s neck and held him there for a moment, just enjoying the way their bodies fit together. The simple, affectionate touch from another man was something Bucky had gone without for so long, and he was reluctant to let it go.

Steve would be lying if he said the gesture didn’t touch him in a much deeper way than how they practically made out like teenagers on the front stoop. He still wanted to climb Bucky like a goddamn tree, that much was true, but for a moment, he let himself hope for the possibility of something more than just a fuck.

It kind of scared the shit out of him.


	9. Fucking Clint

Steve closed the door and slid the locks back into place. He turned and leaned back against the door, trailing his tongue over his lips and savoring the way Bucky tasted on them. He lightly knocked the back of his head against the heavy wood door and opened his eyes, breathing out a strangled, “Fuck…” 

_ Pull it together, Rogers. _

He freed his fingers from his gloves and went to work on his scarf and thick coat. Once the coat tree was wearing all of his winter things, Steve adjusted himself in his jeans and slipped off his shoes. He sighed, considering the available solutions to his problem, because _Jesus,_ Bucky’s lips and stubble and teeth on his neck did things to him. He could strip the rest of the way and grab some lube, or he could take a cold shower. Both would work, but only one would be enjoyable. 

After deciding, which honestly wasn't much of an internal debate, he was spread out on his bed, floating somewhere between want and need and bliss when an alert came through on his phone. And well,  _ fuck, _ there was that, too. An alert call to work was a total boner-killer. 

Problem solved. 

The sound was annoying and goddamned uncalled for, jarring him back to the present just as he was getting close. He wiped his slick hands unceremoniously on the bedsheets and reached for his phone, still breathing hard, knowing pretty much what the message said without even having to read it.

 

**DHS Fusion:** ALERT LEVEL: HIGH INTERMEDIATE. THREAT ASSESSMENT ALPHA- REPORT FOR DUTY.

 

He guessed it was a good thing Bucky didn’t come in with him, not if he wanted to keep his job. And since responding to that kind of call while he was on rotation was paramount to continued employment, and the actual safety of the free world, he shot a text response to command and went to wash up.

 

**Steve:** Rogers acknowledged. ETA 45.

 

~*~

Bucky returned home quickly, partly because of the chill in the air, and partly because he was oblivious to anything other than the taste of Steve on his lips. He couldn’t help the smile that had taken up permanent residence on his face. 

_ Steve. _

What an interesting man. He was funny, bright and had a way of making Bucky feel like he was the only guy in the world. The way Bucky’s nerve endings lit up with the softest little touch from Steve had him floating, desperately looking forward to the next time he could see him. His trip to LA needed to get there and back, fast. 

Shit, Bucky was hooked. Every time his mind wandered back to the feeling of Steve’s fingertips tracing little shapes into the sensitive skin on the inside of his wrist, or Steve’s lips against his own, or Steve holding his jaw tight, or the warm press of Steve’s body and the way it fit perfectly against his own… Bucky’s stomach did a little flip and he felt more alive then he had in years.

He was promptly pulled out of his reverie by his phone buzzing against his ass cheek. 

Tony was calling, probably to see if he would answer or not. Probably to see whether he was getting laid or not. Bucky grinned conspiratorially, his best friend could be a total asshole, but he loved him anyway _.   _

That didn’t mean he wouldn’t make him wonder. Bucky was sure he’d be getting bombarded with plenty of questions in the morning, so until then, he sent Tony to voicemail. He huffed a satisfied smirk as he opened the front door to his building, absently making his way over to the elevator. 

A certain aroma pulled him back to the land of the living and he remembered he was due at Clint’s place before going upstairs. 

“Hey Bucky! Come on in, dude. It’s good to see you!” Clint greeted and hugged him when he opened the door.

Clint always had the best, warmest greetings ready for anyone who came to his place. He was such a hospitable guy - real genuine, too. Bucky hugged his friend back. “Hey, Clint. How’ve you been?”

He shrugged and signed as he spoke, like usual. Ever since their college days in that first ASL class, it was kind of their thing. “Aw, you know. Just doin’ my thing. You got a few minutes?”

The look on Clint’s face was all mischief and Bucky was already in such a good mood, he decided to hang out for a while before getting Becca’s package. He really wanted to tell someone - anyone - about Steve. Hell, he wanted to scream it from the rooftops, but he wasn’t so extra that he’d actually do so. Besides, Clint had always been a great listener, stoned or sober.

“So what’s up, dude?” Clint asked as he licked an end of the paper and twisted it like a pro. “You look real happy. What’ve you been up to?”

“You know me…” Bucky shrugged, acting like he’d been up to nothing special. He took a hit from the newly lit joint and breathed in deep, holding in the smoke. When he blew it out, he dropped his head back against the sofa and grinned wide. “Just had a date.”

“Really? Nice!” Clint grinned, reaching over with a high five. Clint’s expressive face tried to hide the shock, but he failed miserably and Bucky laughed. The relaxed, boneless feeling was slowly settling in to Bucky’s shoulders already and it felt good. 

He had missed it.

“Gonna see him again?”  

Clint, assuming it was a man Bucky had seen, obviously knew that part of him a lot better than Tony. Not that Tony wasn’t great, Bucky considered him family, he just wasn’t a listener like Clint. Hell, Bucky hadn’t been interested in women in a long time. It had been at least 8 years since he stopped letting society’s expectations of who he should be attracted to dictate his life, a development Tony didn't seem to remember all the time. 

But nobody was perfect.

“Bucky, dude,” Clint called, passing him back the joint.

“Huh? Oh, thanks, man.”

“So are you?” Clint asked again. 

Bucky nodded, taking another hit and signed back as he held in the smoke,  _ ‘Yeah, I hope so. I can’t wait, really. He’s-’ _ he shook his head again, breathing out. The weightless feeling was becoming more pronounced. He hadn’t realized just how long it had been since he visited Clint. Either that, or Clint had really gotten some good shit. 

Maybe both.

Clint snorted in laughter at Bucky’s inability to speak - or sign. He reached down and grabbed the half-eaten bag of Nacho Cheese Doritos next to him and shoved it toward Bucky.

_ ‘Thanks,’  _ Bucky signed in response. He passed the joint back to Clint and shoved a handful of chips in his mouth, speaking around it. “I’mma see him again. I dunno when, but  _ Jesus, _ this guy...” he trailed off, finishing chewing and then eating another handful of chips.

It was increasingly difficult to complete a full sentence, and not because of the snacks. Bucky furrowed his brow, closely eyeballing the joint Clint held between his thumb and first two fingers. 

“The fuck y’give me? Shit’s strong.”

Clint snorted another laugh, choking and coughing out the smoke he’d been trying to inhale. It came out through his nose and mouth as he tried to breathe. Clint’s face turned bright red and his eyes watered as they both broke out into a loud, uninhibited fit of laughter.

“Like it?” Clint rasped, coughing a few more times and clearing his throat loudly. “It’s from a friend, some new strain her dad got in.”

“Je- _ sus...”  _ Bucky groaned, melting into the sofa and feeling oh-so-grateful for its existence. 

“Right? That’s what I said,” Clint sighed, nudging Bucky’s thigh with his socked foot. Bucky noted the pink flamingos on Clint’s sock and hoped to God they were really there. His eyes took their sweet ass time focusing on Clint’s face when he nudged him again with his foot. 

_ There were definitely flamingos.   _

“So this guy?”

“Yeah,” Bucky replied with a lazy grin, getting back on track. “Steve. He's amazing, man. Works in terrorism? No-” he snorted a laugh,  _ “anti- _ terrorism. He’s super smart and so fuckin’ beautiful. And the way he looks at me is…”

“Goddamn, you're in deep,” Clint breathed on a low whistle. “How long you been seeing him?”

“Uh, s’the thing,” Bucky admitted, ducking his head bashfully. “First date.”

“No shit?” Clint blurted, and Bucky met his glassy eyes, looking for any sign of judgement, or hesitation. There was none but Bucky sat up a bit anyway, trying to pour himself back into his brain. 

“You don't think it’s too fast? You know,” he gestured, trying to think of the words, “gettin’ my hopes up?”

“Nah, I say go for it. Haven't seen you this happy in a long fuckin’ time.” Clint went to pass the joint back to Bucky, but he politely refused, his ability to speak properly still dwindling by the minute, but he was going with it.

“Nu-uh, m’good. Got a 5am with Tony to LA. Big NASA at meetin’,” he giggled, stumbling over the words. “M’too fucked up.”

“Fuckin’ NASA? Congrats, dude!”

Bucky snorted. “Thanks.”

“How’s Tony doin’ anyway?”

“Eh, Tony’s good, still bustin’ my balls. Ain’t married Pepper. We’re gettin’ real close on a project, though. Y’should come by the Tower.”

“Might do that,” Clint grunted with a shrug.

“See Clint,” Bucky grinned, squinting closely at Clint, “this is why nobody likes you.”

Clint laughed and took another hit, gesturing grandly as he spoke. “No more for you, good sir, not if you're talkin’ to  _ NASA _ tomorrow. Look at you, living the charming life, but alas. Now I must consume your portion.”

Bucky wasn’t so sure about the use of the word charming, but Clint was right. Bucky had a lot to be thankful for. Still, Clint was shit at grammar, and Bucky told him so.

Clint waggled his eyebrows. “And Steve? How's his grammar? He good with tongues?” 

Clint was a dork and Bucky was just about to retort when the bell rang from outside. Clint popped up off the couch, sliding to a stop and pressing the button by the door.  “Barton,” he answered in a professional voice, then snorted a laugh again when he released the button.

A feminine voice came through the intercom and Clint’s eyes lit up when he buzzed her in. In no time there was a knock on the door. When Clint opened it, a beautiful redhead breezed in, planting a confident kiss square on his lips. She whispered something in Russian into his ear and Clint kissed her again, this time wrapping her up in his arms possessively. She turned when they parted, finally acknowledging Bucky.

“Bucky, this is Tasha. She's awesome,” Clint grinned, eyes still glassy. “Tasha, Bucky.”

Bucky stood to greet Tasha, who met Bucky with a coy smile and stuck out her hand. She eyed him closely, and the scrutiny she regarded him with made Bucky squirm. She vaguely reminded him of a female version of Steve, all power, consideration, strength and depth in a small package, except this package had a deadly air about her, like with one wrong move, his neck could be snapped and he’d be dead in a ditch somewhere upstate.

“Nice t’meet you, Tasha.”

“Bucky…” she said, cocking her head and turning over the name in her mind. “A nickname? It's... unique.”

“Uh, yeah.” Bucky's hand ran back through his hair, a nervous gesture he still had even after lighting up. Regardless, he did his best to speak properly to Clint’s Tasha. Because, first impressions… or something. 

“M'middle name’s Buchanan, ‘n Bucky’s a nickname that kinda stuck.   
He closed his eyes briefly trying to right his words, finally doing so successfully. “You can call me James, or Bucky… Whichever you prefer is fine, Clint calls me Bucky.”

Now the fuckin’ weed was making him chatty and he needed to stop talking, like, yesterday. Speaking of weed, Tasha reached over and took what was left of the joint from Clint, helping herself to it.

“Yasha.” She said, looking at him again. 

Considering. 

She decided something and turned her head to blow out the smoke. “I'll call you Yasha, it’s Russian for James.  _ Da?” _

“Oh,  _ da,”  _ Bucky answered, nodding and blushing ridiculously. 

He wasn't fluent in a lot of languages other than English, Romanian (What? He was bored that summer, okay?) and ASL, but he knew  _ yes, no, please, thank you, where’s the bathroom  _ and _ another drink please  _ in enough of them.

NYU. Good times. Jesus, how had he gotten so boring?

Clint sat back down with Bucky as Tasha helped herself to a glass of water from the kitchen. When she came back, she tossed the rest of her cold weather things over on a chair and made herself comfortable on Clint’s lap, offering him the first drink.  Huh. Maybe Clint wasn’t as available as Bucky thought he was.

“So, Yasha, it’s good to finally meet you.”

“It is?” Bucky asked, clearing his throat, surprised she knew of him.  He didn’t think Clint was seeing anyone regularly, and with the way Tasha made herself so comfortable... Well, it didn’t seem like a recent thing.

“Yes, Clint has told me a lot about your ASL days,” she said and Clint snorted a laugh.  The look Tasha shot Clint was a knowing, wry grin, reminiscent of an inside joke. Bucky tried to figure it out but his nosiness wasn’t performing at top capacity thanks to being so stoned.

“Clinton Francis Barton!” Tasha chastised after noticing the look on Bucky’s face. “Yasha doesn’t know?”

“Know what?” Bucky interrupted, eyeing Clint.

“Aw, Tasha,” Clint whined. He looked like she had just taken away a favorite toy, but obediently leaned over toward Bucky and waved him closer. Bucky leaned in, waiting to be let in on the secret. 

“Closer, Barnes,” Clint said, tapping his ear lobe. 

“Is that?”  It was then, and  only then, after who knew how many goddamned years that Bucky finally noticed what Clint had been hiding. A tiny flesh-colored device that - once Bucky thought about it - looked an awful lot like a hearing aid. 

“Are you… When did you start wearing hearing aids, Clint? Are you okay?”

Clint and Tasha both threw their heads back in laughter. When they saw the confused expression on Bucky’s face, their giggles started all over again. They laughed so hard, Clint was actually holding his stomach right up until the moment Tasha punched him in the shoulder for doing that to his friend. 

“Been toe'n the line my whole life, buddy,” Clint smirked. “I couldn’t hear much at all ‘til I got my first set. I was just about six or seven, I guess? Didn’t you ever wonder why I always did so well in class?”

Well, color Bucky scandalized. His second oldest and equally closest friend had been hiding the fact that he was hearing impaired the entire time they knew each other. 

As a joke.

Fucking Clint.


	10. The Past Doesn't Always Stay There

Bucky must have rubbed off on Steve already because he was dorkishly proud of himself for making it into the office in thirty-six minutes, considering he’d responded with a 45 minute ETA. It was cold as balls out, so that probably had something to do with why he moved so fast too, but still. He swiped himself into the building at the Navy Yard and shrugged out of his cold weather gear as soon as he was inside.  

State and local agencies in New York City didn’t exactly have the best process for working together, not with so many Federal acronyms all wanting to take over. Ever since 9/11, any time a crime scene fell under more than one jurisdiction, it turned into an all-out pissing contest.

That’s where Steve’s team came in.

The Homeland Fusion Center was a civilian office; it was the only way it was able slide in under the radar and really un-fuck the nonexistent inter agency operability in the urban areas. Most centers took years to take root, be accepted, and whenever new leadership came in it was as if a reset button was pushed, the progress starting all over. That's exactly what everyone expected when Steve took over, but he proved he could do the opposite.

In fact, cooperation improved  so fast, everyone just started calling him Captain.

“Coffee, Cap?” one of the younger guys on the team offered, and Steve took the cup.

“Thanks. What do we got?”

The young analyst gave Steve the briefing packet, and he flipped through the report, deciding if he needed to call in Domestic Nuclear Detection Support just yet. It was always good to be prepared, which is why Steve missed nothing, going over the whole file including the non-pertinent details they had on the truck driver.

“Guy’s been on multiple watch lists. Do we know how the hell he got past the guards at Empire?” Steve asked rhetorically. His brow furrowed as he continued to read, then he nodded. “Okay, get DNDS on the line. What’s the new guy’s name again?”

“Rummel? No, uh - sorry Sir, his name’s Rumlow-”

 _“-Brock_ Rumlow?” Steve spat as he nearly choked on a gulp of coffee. His eyes darted over to the kid (yes, you’re the older one now, Steven) on phones and he watched as the analyst shrank in on himself the tiniest bit. The tone Steve took wasn’t the kid’s fault, it just wasn’t a common name, and it certainly wasn’t one Steve had any interest in hearing again. Like, _ever._

“I’m - uh… Y-yes Sir,” the kid stammered, shrugging slowly in confusion.

Steve frowned and quickly closed the folder, turning toward his office and barking out, “I’ll take the call inside.”

“Fuck me,” he muttered angrily, shoving his door closed with his boot. He wasn’t looking forward to the awkwardness that was sure to underlie that call, but since fate was obviously a cruel bitch with a morbid sense of humor that night, the line on his desk phone promptly began blinking and ringing.

“Rogers,” he answered, adjusting the headset against his ear.

 _“I have Rumlow, Sir,”_ the kid outside said.

“Put him through.”

 _“Jesus Christ, if it ain’t the famous Steve Rogers.”_ Rumlow’s voice was just as raspy and grating as Steve remembered. Maybe more.

Steve sighed quietly enough to still be just that side of professional. “Rumlow,” he tried to say politely. “This is a surprise.”

Steve wandered aimlessly around his office as they spoke, trying to settle the unpleasant feeling in the pit of his stomach. He hated to ask, because he really didn’t give a shit how Brock had been, but they were apparently working together again so there was that. Professional courtesy and all.

_“Looks like we’re gonna be seein’ a bit of each other again, huh Steve?”_

Hopefully not, but apparently Brock didn’t get the hint when Steve addressed him by his last name. There he was, still calling him _Steve._ The way his name sounded in Rumlow’s mouth brought nothing but irritation and regret.

“Guess so. Listen, about this guy with the truck,” he continued, trying his best to move the conversation back in a productive direction. “I’m sure you’ve been briefed?”

_“What, no ‘I missed ya’ or nothin’? You just up and left for no reason.”_

_Jesus,_ the guy sure had a way of getting under his skin, and not in a good way, either. He serious accused Steve for leaving DC for no reason even when Steve outright told him about Sarah’s illness? That kind of thinking in itself was reason enough to leave, let alone everything else toxic about their relationship, if you could even call it that.

“Look, let’s stick to the case,” Steve snapped, glaring down at the tiles and standing defiantly with his hands on his hips. “Right now I need to assess the threat. I’m on my way over to the site soon, and I need your guys to clear it.”

_“Yeah, alright, I can do that. Got a 20 minute ETA. Luck’s on our side with traffic this time of night, and it won’t take long after arrival so long as all goes well.”_

“Copy that.”

_“And Steve?”_

“What?” Steve stopped his wandering and frowned again, working a spot of something on the tile with the toe of his boot.

 _“Been missin’ you, babe,”_ Brock said as he dropped his voice an octave. The sound of it reminded Steve of bad decisions fueled by loneliness and far too much alcohol. His stomach turned. _“How ‘bout we get together tonight after this case is cleared?”_

“Fuck, no,” he snorted, all professionalism gone.

Steve didn't even have to think about his answer.

_“But - what the hell d’ya mean, no?”_

“Goodbye, Rumlow.”

Steve pulled his headset off and tossed it on top of his desk. He leaned forward, gripping the edge with his hands until his knuckles were white. He didn’t feel bad ending the conversation so abruptly because really, Brock was a dick. They were talking about a potential nuclear threat for God’s sake, and all the guy did was try to get a hookup out of it.

_What a piece of work._

Steve stretched his shoulders and shook out his arms. It was time to get to work, so he opened his drawer and grabbed his go-bag, making sure his extra clips were full of ammunition, and the rest of his bits and bobs were accounted for, then opened the door to call out to the team.

“Morita! Dernier! Look alive, guys, we’re outta here in five.”

“Copy that,” sounded the response from the squad room as the team sprang into action. Exactly four minutes later, they were out the door, shrugging on his Homeland Security vest over his winter coat.

~*~

After arriving on site, Steve flashed his credentials to the beat cops working the yellow tape, who admitted him easily, then went straight to track down the Battalion Chief on scene with NYFD. The Chief on rotation that night was Tim Dugan, a burly man with a big red mustache and an even bigger personality. Steve liked the guy a ton. Their mutual respect was formed early on when Steve’s team arrived just in time to order the squad pulled back right before a gas line blew.

“Rogers!” a booming voice called from the side of a rescue truck. Dugan was crowded around the hood of the truck with blueprints spread out in front of him and a few other guys. “The fuck took you so long? I’ve been waitin’ on you all goddamn night.”

“Gotta wait for DNDS to clear the scene, Dugan. Don’t want you to have to explain to the missus why you’re shootin’ blanks the rest’a your life,” Steve teased, shaking Tim’s hand as they all laughed good naturedly.

But really, radiation wasn’t anything to fuck with.

“So what’s the word? We goin in or no?”

“Gimme two minutes to track down the new guy.”

Tim shot Steve _a look._ Steve knew what it meant, and well, let’s just say he agreed.

“Fucker’s been askin’ for ya, says you two go way back. He seems like a bit of a dick if you ask me.”

“That’s because he is,” Steve sighed in annoyance, before turning and walking away with a purpose that was not to be fucked with. Fucking Rumlow, how dare he call Steve out like that on location? The asshole should have stayed in DC. He fit in better there anyway.

“Rumlow!” Steve barked when he found the dipshit side-show in their standard issue yellow plastic DNDS jumpsuits.

“Steve!” Rumlow beamed like they hadn’t just had the phone call end the way it did. “Guys, this is Steve, the one I been tellin’ you all about.”

And call Steve impolite, but he didn’t acknowledge the DNDS team. Rumlow’s face fell and Steve squared his small shoulders, easily projecting an immediate, unmistakable air of authority.

“A word, Rumlow. _Now.”_ Steve ordered, more than asked, grabbing the guy by his thick arm and leading him about twenty feet away.

When they were in enough of a clearing, Steve shoved Rumlow before letting him go abruptly He turned back, arms folded in defiance and eyes burning bright with a righteous fury.

“The fuck, Brock?” he growled and Rumlow looked taken aback. “When we’re onsite… No. You know what? Fuck that. You lost your chance to address me as anything other than Rogers a long fucking time ago. Get that through your thick goddamn skull.”

“Look, Steve-” Brock tried, but Steve cut him off.

“-Rogers.”

“Fine. _Rogers,”_ Brock spat. He’d never taken kindly to rejection, and this time it only served to bring out the dickish side of Rumlow that Steve knew all too well. “Here I thought we could pick up where we left off, but I guess that’s off the table, huh?”

“Goddamn right it is,” Steve growled low in warning, dropping his arms but clenching his fists and jutting out his chin. And Jesus, how someone so small could be such an enormously stubborn mule, nobody really knew. “Now, what’s gonna happen here is we’re gonna walk back over to your guys and you’re gonna introduce me as Rogers from Homeland, and I’m gonna shake their hands. Then you’re gonna give my guys a report - professionally. After we clear outta here, we’re done, at least until the next incident. Got it?”

Rumlow’s dark eyes narrowed and he crossed his arms in front of his muscular chest. And if he intended to intimidate Steve, it didn’t work. Steve had been the slightest one in the room his whole goddamned life, so being physically smaller than a bully was nothing new.

“Maybe you didn’t hear me. I _said-“_

“Jesus Christ, I heard what you said, Rogers.”

Steve looked pointedly at Rumlow for a beat longer than necessary, but just long enough to see him start to squirm. He grunted, then walked off without another word, toward the DNDS team, Rumlow scurrying along behind him to catch up.


	11. So Early

Bucky rolled over, groaning, hitting the snooze button on his phone for the very last time possible. He wasn’t necessarily averse to getting up early. Hell, he did it frequently when he went running, that morning was just was different, was all. 

He pried his eyes open and smacked his lips, making a face. Cottonmouth was nothing to fuck with after a night of lighting up with Clint. He grunted, sitting up and yawning, breathing in deep and then groaning out a curse sounding something like a Wakandan rhinoceros.

_ “Fuuuck...” _

Picking up his phone, he looked at the time. 3:48 AM. That left barely enough time to rush through a shower and throw some sweats on before he was late. It was a good thing Tony had an obscenely ridiculous private jet with plenty of room aboard, and all Bucky’s things were already packed.

He looked at himself in the bathroom mirror and grumbled something about responsibility and being too old for all that shit, then downed a whole glass of water before brushing his teeth. He’d just finished showering when his phone pinged, and really, what the fuck? Nobody he knew should have been awake  _ that _ early. Except Tony, but even that was debatable. 

 

**Steve:** Heya Buck, I hope you have a safe flight. Good luck with the yuks at NASA today. Give ‘em hell!

**Bucky:** Thank you  **:)** What are you doing up so early?

**Steve:** Just got back in. I got called in for an incident not long after you left. Some guy wanted to make himself famous, but we got to him before he was able to do any actual damage.

**Bucky:** You do field work too? I thought you were a civilian. What exactly is it you do?

**Steve:** Ah, well you know how the saying goes. If I tell you…

**Bucky:** You’d have to kill me?

**Steve:** No never, more like I’d bore you. Though I gotta say, I can think of plenty of other things I’d like to do to you.  **;)**

 

_ And… welcome back, morning wood. Jesus, Steve.  _

Bucky wanted to keep their little game going, he truly did. There was just something about Steve that made everything else seem just so goddamn blasé. Luckily for all parties involved, Bucky was freshly post-shower, which meant he was a mature fucking adult who knew better than to be late.

 

**Bucky:** You better believe I’m going to hold you to that.  **;)** I’ll talk to you tonight?

**Steve:** Looking forward to it.

 

Bucky towel-dried his hair a little rougher than necessary and shaved as fast as he could, only nicking himself once. He hopped into his sweats and socks on the way back to his bedside table to grab his charger, he noticed there was another notification on his phone. 

It was a photo of Steve, skin flushed and with a subtle sheen from the hot water in a bathtub. He was listening to music on an old school iPod and smiling up into the camera like a giant dork. The photo was captioned,  _ ‘ _ Just think of me if you get nervous.’ 

Fucking Steve. 

 

**Bucky:** I’ll be thinking of you alright, but I’m not sure if it will be from nerves now.  **;)**

 

He snorted a laugh as he shoved his feet into his running shoes and threw on a few more layers before stacking his luggage next to the door. As if by divine intervention, as soon as he sprinkled some pellets into Fury’s tank, his phone pinged with a notification that the car was outside.

Nice. It was going to be a good day.

“Keep an eye on the place, huh Fury?” he said as the fish attacked the floating pellets, completely ignoring Bucky. Fury only paid attention when he wanted food, and once he had it, Bucky ceased to exist. He was an evidence-based dick of a fish.

~*~

After a short drive, given the time of the morning, the car arrived at the private hangar and Bucky grabbed his things from the back before handing the driver a tip. Sure, he could have waited for the guy to get them for him, but what was the point when he had two capable hands of his own? 

Boarding the plane, he noticed Tony wasn’t there yet. Happy, their buddy from high school and regular pilot, was still completing the pre-flight checks so Bucky tried to keep his greeting brief so as not to interrupt the process.

“No Tony yet, huh?” Happy asked, talking around the pen he held between his teeth.

“Nope,” Bucky answered, grinning. “Knowing him, he’s probably still bitching to Pepper about having to be up at this hour.”

Happy made an amused snort of a noise around the pen in his teeth and cocked a brow at Bucky. “I hear you’re the reason for that, Barnes.”

“Jesus, he whined to you about that too?” Bucky chuckled, his tone holding no malice, only amusement.

“Mhmm, said you were too busy gettin’ laid last night.”

Bucky snorted and sighed, a far off expression in his eyes. “I wish.”

He looked back at Happy to see him eyeing him curiously. “Get turned down?”

“Nah. I just had to cut the night short. ‘Sides, there’s a lot more to him that just that. He’s somethin’ else, Hap, I’m tellin’ you. Might just be the death of me.”

“Who’s somethin’ else?” Tony grumbled, dragging his ass up the steps of the plane like they’d personally offended him.

“Steve.”

Tony grunted, collapsing into one of the leather seats. “That his name, Mr. Five AM flight? Remind me to thank him.”

“Go back to sleep Tony, you’re a real asshole when you’re tired,” Bucky snarked back at his friend, rolling his eyes. When Tony didn’t answer, Bucky called him again. “Tony? Hey- C’mon Tony, go lay down.”

Bucky didn’t know why Tony hadn’t just gone right back to the sofa-bed toward the back of the plane. He got up, gently shaking Tony’s shoulder. 

_ “Mm.”  _ Tony grunted with a scowl. “What?”

“Bed. Now,” Bucky ordered, pulling Tony up by the arm. 

Tony didn’t argue, just shoved his ridiculously expensive sunglasses back up the bridge of his nose as Bucky led him to the sofa, which was funny, really. The sun wasn't even close to rising yet, but Tony was nothing if not endearingly pretentious. 

Tony flopped down, a little over dramatically Bucky thought, as he reached into the cabinet and grabbed a blanket for him anyway. It wasn’t enabling, he told himself, not at all. Bucky just knew what needed to be done for Tony to be a productive member of society by the time they hit LA, and that wouldn’t happen if he slept sitting up all the way across the country. It was Bucky’s own self preservation he was ensuring, really. He had two choices, deal with Tony whining and get him comfortable, or leave him be just to want to kill him later. The latter wouldn’t do the meeting at JPL-NASA any good, and Bucky would be  _ damned  _ if he let that go to shit, so he went with Baby Tony for the Win.

He finished stowing their things and grabbed another of the blankets along with an extra pillow, planning to join Tony on the opposite sofa as soon as they were in the air. In the meantime, he wandered to the front to bug Happy since the pre-flight check was complete. 

“Need anything Hap?”

Happy shook his head. “M’good, thanks. You gonna join sleeping beauty?”

Bucky followed Happy’s eyes back to Tony who had curled into the plush blanket Bucky threw on top of him, and he nodded. “Yeah, in a bit. Mind if I co-pilot for takeoff though?”

Happy gestured to the empty seat with a grin. “Nah, come on up. It’s all yours.”

Little did most people know, Bucky could fly just about anything with an engine, and most things with propellers, be it a plane or helicopter. Flying was another one of his few guilty pleasures, one he kept close to his chest and only shared with a very select few. 

His first flight lesson was something he treated himself to with the obscene bonus he’d earned when he landed his first multi-million dollar contract with the proprietary tech for General Ross’ private security and reconnaissance firm. Well, that and the purchase of his apartment, but just one lesson in, he knew it was something he had to pursue. It was the freedom of being high above the clouds, looking down on the world below that really helped Bucky get perspective on his life. 

Up until that time he’d been in and out of a toxic relationship with an older guy, and he knew it was a bad situation. There was just that part of Bucky that really needed to find belonging and unfortunately having an older, controlling boyfriend seemed like the way to do it at the time. He’d been so excited about the experience of flying until Alex gave him an ultimatum. Either do that, or spend Thursdays with the girls, but not both, he’d said. 

Of course, Bucky picked his girls without hesitation, but something was clearly wrong, and a Ma knew her kid. Bucky was younger then. Messy got messier right up to the point that Winifred pulled him aside one night to ask if he really was okay, tearfully opening up about her own abusive and controlling past with George Barnes. Bucky knew his parent’s problems weren’t his fault, but having caused that worried look on his Ma’s face was enough to wake him right the fuck up. Not long after that was the timely end of his relationship with Alex, and he hadn’t dated since.


	12. Goddamned Crime, Is What It Is

A little over three hours into the flight, Bucky woke up on the sofa across from Tony. Smacking his lips together and frowning, he sat up, hungry and needing something to drink. How was it possible he still had cottonmouth? Shit, thank God for Tic-Tacs. He fished a few out of his backpack and popped them into his mouth, grabbed a couple bottles of water and took one up front to Happy.

“Water, Hap?”

“Thanks.”

Happy turned and reached back to take the water as Bucky climbed into the co-pilot seat again. He settled in and sighed, taking in the view. 

“This never gets old,” Bucky mused, half to himself, half to Happy who nodded in agreement.

“You know, this time of year is great in LA. Tiny bit of a breeze, just enough to keep the air clear,” Happy said, and he almost sounded wistful, which was just weird because,  _ Happy. _ “Too bad we’re not staying longer.” 

“Sounds nice.” Bucky downed about half of the bottle of water in one go before replying further. “Nothin’ like the shit we’re in right now at home. Makes the approach better too, huh?”

He pulled his phone out of his pocket and took a picture of his view from the front of the plane. He sent the photo to Steve with a little sunshine and smiley emoji, but didn’t expect a response considering how late Steve worked the night before. 

“So, did you get some or what?” Tony asked from behind the cockpit and Bucky jumped. He turned back and shot Tony an exaggerated look. 

_ “Je-sus, _ Tony. Warn a guy before sneaking up like that, huh?”

Tony smirked but held his hands out innocently, once again wearing his stupid-ridiculous expensive sunglasses. “What? I think it’s a fair question, considering our itinerary.”

“If you’re asking _‘did I get laid’,_ then the answer is no. I did have a great time, though.” Bucky grinned wide with the memory. “I know you don't like early flights but I'm glad I went out. It was totally worth it.”

He turned his head to see Tony leaning against the cabin wall, looking down at him with an odd expression, almost looking like fondness. “What?”

“What?” Tony parroted, shrugging. “Nothing. Just… It’s nice to see you with that look on your face. It’s about time, you know. You’re always doing shit for everyone else. Pepper keeps saying you should make the time for a relationship, and I gotta say, I agree. Enjoy life.”

Bucky visibly stiffened at the word _ relationship. _ Sure, he liked Steve a lot, but there was still part of him that was determined to stay closed off. If he didn’t open himself up all the way, then when it all went to shit and Steve left - because he would, they always did - Bucky wouldn’t be completely broken. 

“What’d I say?” Tony frowned. 

Happy shot Bucky a look, and if Bucky could read minds, he would know Happy was reminding him how excited he sounded talking about Steve that morning. 

_ There’s a lot more to him that just that. He’s somethin’ else, Hap. _

It was the truth. But maybe it was too much of the truth. Suddenly Bucky wasn’t sure he was really ready to put himself out there. But he was the one who made the first move, right? He’d approached Steve in the bookstore, and it was only fair to see where that went. 

Tony recognized Bucky’s downward spiral, so he knew he had to drag Bucky back out of his own head. Luckily, if there was one thing Anthony Edward Stark had a shit ton of experience with, it was being a sarcastic pain in the ass. 

“So you didn’t get laid, but it’s not off the table, right?” he teased, lightly punching Bucky in the left shoulder. “I mean you said you had to cut the night short. That’s not a no.”

Bucky furrowed his brow and looked back at Tony again, seeing the shit-eating grin on his face. He rolled his eyes. “Seriously? You got a one track mind, Tony. I really don’t know how Pepper does it.”

“All kinds of ways, my friend,” Tony smirked and rose his eyebrows suggestively, making Bucky snort a laugh and shake his head.

_ Good.  _

He needed Bucky to stay with him, stay in the game. Being a pain in the ass was almost a one hundred percent guarantee to keep Bucky from going backwards. And if he could use his abrasive personality to gently shove Bucky in the direction of doing something for himself for once? Pepper would be proud. 

Real proud. 

He leaned forward and cuffed Happy on the shoulder. “How you doin’ Hap?”

“You know me, Tony. Livin’ the fuckin’ dream.”

Bucky and Tony both laughed in response. Happy was the driest sonofabitch either of them knew, always had been. Even back in high school, hence, the nickname.

~*~

Happy let Bucky pilot for the approach into Bob Hope Airport in Burbank, enjoying the view from the air. He relaxed, which was a rare occurrence for someone like Happy, but the California sunshine seemed to be the one thing that guaranteed an actual smile from him. It was a mild morning by LA’s terms, but for a group of New Yorkers in the middle of the freeze, it felt downright tropical.

“This is what I’m talkin’ about!” Happy exclaimed, taking a deep breath and stretching his big frame after exiting the private hangar they were using. He closed his eyes behind his lenses and tilted his face up toward the sun, a blissful expression on his face.

“Yeah, alright,” Tony sighed. “I can take a hint, Hap. Let’s get through this thing at JPL first, then we'll do whatever you like.”

Happy shook his head and shot a comment dryly at Tony and Bucky. “Only you two super nerds would put rocket science with NASA before the California sunshine. It’s a goddamn crime, is what it is.”


	13. Putting Steve on Mute

Steve slept like a baby. He had enjoyed the hot water more than any grown man probably should have, but it was fucking cold as balls outside, and Brock’s bullshitting around didn’t help them finish up any quicker at the scene.

After getting back in so late, soaking in the bath and then writing up his reports, by the time he finally burrowed down under his blankets and got warm he completely knocked out. Of course, it was mid-morning, right about the same time the sun had fully risen and was shining right into his bedroom window, but whatever. He wasn’t about to let that stop him.

~*~

Steve finally woke around five in the evening, and the first thing he did was put his glasses on and stumble out of bed, heading to the restroom then downstairs to the kitchen. He was famished, so he pulled out the half gallon of milk and gulped straight from the carton. Just because he was small framed (yes, he knew how small he was, and the frequency with which he was mistaken for a teenager at thirty was something that would always piss him off) didn’t mean he had a poor appetite. Hell, with the amount of food Steve could shove in his pie-hole, he practically shopped for enough groceries to feed a small family every week. Sam used to like to tease him about having a metaphorical tapeworm tucked away in his ass somewhere, but finally stopped when Steve answered back with a list of the things he actually  _ had _ had up his ass at one point or another. 

He made a cup of coffee, peeled a banana and stuck it in the middle of a fresh hoagie roll with some Nutella before trudging back upstairs to put some actual clothes on, shrugging pleasantly at the convenience of his creation. Not much came between Steve Rogers and his appetite, small as he was. Steve just had a real fast metabolism, was all. And maybe an odd sense of flavor combinations, but whatever. He and Maria enjoyed texting pictures and sharing ideas of new cravings when she was pregnant, so there was that.

He pulled a hoodie over his head, the motion making his hair stand up in about a million different directions, and took another monster-sized bite of the frankenwich in his hand. When he walked over to his side table to check his phone, he froze. Really, he only meant to check and see how Bucky’s presentation went, not choke and die on a banana sandwich. That was  _ so _ not the way any man wanted to be remembered. 

There were a couple of messages from Bucky, which was nice. It was. There was a pretty photo of the horizon from the air, another text of a thumbs up emoji with the words  _ “ _ IT WENT GREAT!” in all caps, and then… Oh God, and then indeed. 

Another photo had just recently come through, probably when he was downstairs, and it practically put Steve on full mute. It was the very photo that he almost died upon, because  _ Jesus.  _

Bucky was reclining on a chaise next to a pool, dripping with water and lounging shirtless in a pair of wet swim trunks resting low on his hips. His hair was gently curling from the water, which was a really good look on him. He wore nothing else besides a pair of blue Ray Bans and a smirk on his sexy goddamn face. If someone hadn’t already coined the phrase “neck porn”, Steve was gonna trademark that shit. Like, right now, because Bucky’s neck - his skin, soft and creamy and still a bit pale from the winter seemed like it went on for miles, leading to arms and a chest that were even thicker and more defined than Steve originally thought they would be. And those abs, good God those abs! 

Steve groaned. His mouth was watering. He needed Bucky back in New York and in his bed, now. 

Like right fucking now.

 

**Steve:** Christ, Buck! I seriously almost choked and died! 

**Bucky:** LOL you asked for it! I thought you wanted me to take that picture, so I figured what the hell? It may have taken a drink or two for me to get up enough nerve to ask Tony to take it, but I should celebrate landing the account, right? 

**Steve:** Hey congratulations! I knew you would! 

 

After spending time getting to know Bucky, and finding out just how remarkably intelligent he was, he had no doubts that the people in LA would be blown away by him. If anyone knew their shit, it was Bucky. When you added his hard work to the fact that he was passionate about the environment and engineering solutions for clean energy, there was no resisting his persuasiveness.

Steve wanted to do something special for Bucky, to show him that he believed in him and was happy for him. Luckily, he had just the idea, too; it was time to call in a favor from Nat.

 

**Steve:** How about I take you out to celebrate when you get back?

**Bucky:** I’d love that. What did you have in mind?

**Steve:** Hmm, wouldn’t you like to know? You just dress up real nice and let me take care of everything.

**Bucky:** Oh! That’s how it’s going to be, huh?

**Steve:** Don’t you worry, sweetheart. It’ll be nothing but the best for you.

 

Steve caught himself just as he pressed send, but it was too late. The pet name came naturally to him, both right then, and in his thoughts as he lay gasping and hard in his bed with his hand wrapped around his dick the night before. 

_ Wait - shit, Rogers. Too soon to be calling him sweetheart? Fuck it. _

Bucky’s response came through faster than usual, which could be good. It could also be bad, though, since they were still in the sink or swim stage of getting to know each other.

 

**Bucky:** Sweetheart?

**Steve:** Too soon?

**Bucky:** Nah, not at all. I like it, Stevie. 

**Steve:** Good **:)** So, when are you coming home?

**Bucky:** Tomorrow morning, then I’ve got a few things to work on at the office before I can get over to my Ma’s. It’s Test Prep Thursday with the twins, where I help them study and cook for Ma.

**Steve:** I love that you’re so close to your family, Buck. I can’t wait to hear all about it. You think Friday night is too soon for me to see my best guy again?

**Bucky:** And here I was hoping I’d be your ONLY guy, Rogers. How many do you have, anyway? **;)**

**Steve:** Just you Buck. Only you.

**Steve:** I really enjoyed every minute of being with you last night.

**Bucky:** Me too. Tony and Happy both keep telling me how much I’m smiling today. 

**Steve:** You’re smiling a lot, huh? I like hearing that.

**Bucky:** I am, every damn time I think of you. 

**Steve:** Mmm… That’s exactly how I like to see those lips of yours.

 

Bucky blushed and ran his tongue across his lower lip. He was in the sun, so he could always blame the flush of color on that. Truth be told, he couldn’t wait to get back to Steve, to be kissed by him again and spend the whole evening staring into those intense blue eyes of his, listening to the deep timbre of his voice. Steve’s voice was warm and deep, and Bucky had the sudden urge to trade the sunshine for the cold, curl up and listen to him indefinitely.

 

**Bucky:** When I close my eyes, it’s like I can still taste you, Steve. I wish I didn’t have to go so soon, I would have loved to come inside with you last night.

**Steve:** Fuck sweetheart, you’re all I can think about. Do you have any idea how bad I want you? 

**Bucky:** Next time I see you we won’t have an early flight interrupting us… maybe you can show me?

**Steve:** No more early flights, I’m gonna take my time with you when I finally get you in my bed. You want that?

**Bucky:** Jesus, Steve. I do. I really do. But right now I have a problem.

**Steve:** What’s wrong, are you okay?

 

The speed at which Steve went from teasing and flirting to protectiveness stirred something deep within Bucky. Something hopeful, making his heart squeeze and his skin tingle with a want he didn’t dare pay mind to. Every time he talked to Steve he wondered how it was at all possible to want a guy more, doubts and insecurities lessening each time.

_ Shake it off, Barnes. _

 

**Bucky:** Yeah, I'm good, I just need to jump back in the cold pool so I can wait for my goddamned hard-on to go down before I look like a total fucking creep.

 

Steve laughed out loud, throwing his head back and almost spilling his coffee in the process, because Bucky was adorable. He sent a sly response back to Bucky before getting ready to strip his bed and take his sheets downstairs to wash. Last night’s lube and all… But he had to ask one more thing of Bucky. Sure, it was pushing the lines of propriety, and therefore risky given how short of a time the had known each other. Steve was still trying to gauge just how open Bucky would be to his unabridged self, so he sent it. 

 

**Steve:** Show me, sweetheart. 

 

It took a couple of minutes, and just when Steve started to worry he was fucking it all up, a reply came through. He wasn’t displeased in the least when he got the response, either. Bucky, in his selfie, was grinning shyly for him, part of his lower lip caught between his teeth and cheeks pinked up and all pretty. The photo angled down perfectly just enough to do as he had instructed, and Bucky’s shorts were tented up in the most delicious way. 

Steve felt his dick twitch in interest. Since he didn’t have anything important to do that afternoon, maybe the sheets would see a little more solo action before they saw the washing machine. 


	14. Shade

Thursday morning when Bucky walked into his office, there was a beautiful crystal vase filled with peach and yellow roses on his desk. He figured they’d been delivered again for his assistant, Megan, and wondered why they ended up in his office rather than on her desk.

“I think these are yours Megs,” he called, picking up the vase, envelope still attached. Just as he reached his doorway he realized the flowers were addressed to Mr. James Barnes ℅ Stark Industries.

Megan turned, grinning back at him and arching her brow in curiosity. “I don’t think that’s my name on the card, but they are beautiful,” she said with a teasing lilt to her voice and Bucky blushed hard.

“I - uh, yeah - I just saw the card. Sorry,” he muttered awkwardly, turning around and taking them back inside.

“Never apologize when you’re the one receiving flowers, Mr. Barnes!” Megan called back to him, making him snort a laugh and blush that much harder. She was a spitfire, that girl. She’d reminded him so much of Becca; that fact was precisely why he hired her.

Bucky sat at his desk, pulling the vase closer and inhaling the sweet scent of the cheerful roses. He carefully pulled the envelope and card out, opening it with shaky fingers. Peering at it, he saw Steve’s tidy scrawl with a message.

_Buck,_

_Congratulations on the NASA meeting at JPL, I’m so proud of you!_

_They say peach roses are perfect for when you close a deal, and yellow roses signify a welcome home, but I also read that yellow roses are for new beginnings._

_I can’t help but feel that’s exactly what I’ve been given with you._

_Always, Steve_

There Steve went again, making Bucky feel like the most important guy in town, and he wasn’t even there in person. Bucky shook his head softly and bit down on the lovesick grin he just knew was plastered to his dumb face. It had pretty much taken up permanent residence there. Hell, he might even charge it rent soon, if things kept going like they were between he and Steve.

Bucky spent most of the flight back to New York that morning texting Steve and giggling quietly to himself whenever Steve made a silly joke. He had snorted an actual laugh when Steve sent him a photo of an epic eye roll when he found out he had to brief the roomful of politicians at City Hall with his preliminary findings from the previous night’s “incident”.

Bucky empathized. It was all very cloak and dagger, classified and such, but Bucky felt for Steve. He knew how hard it could be to speak to a roomful of politicians, and he’d take talking clean energy with a bunch of progressive California nerds at NASA over that any day.

~*~

Test Prep Thursday had long since been Bucky’s favorite day of the week. He missed Becca immensely but it was still a great time with his Alice and Elizabeth, and something he always wanted to do for their Ma.

“Hey honey, what’s got you so chipper?” Winifred asked her son as she came in through the kitchen door, arms laden with papers to grade. There was a new glow about him; she thought it had him looking radiant. “Work’s goin’ that good, huh?”

Bucky grinned and leaned down so she could kiss his cheek as he made quick work chopping up pieces of the fresh potatoes and winter squash he picked up to go with the roast for that evening’s dinner. He moved efficiently about the kitchen, knowing by heart the place for everything.

“Not just work,” he blushed, dumping the vegetables onto the baking sheet and sliding it into the oven.

“James Buchanan Barnes!” she admonished. “Is there someone special I’m just now finding out about?”

Bucky threw his head back laughing, holding his hands up in surrender. “Wait, wait! It’s not like it’s been forever, Ma, we’re still getting to know each other.”

“Oh. Well then I guess you get a pass - this time,” she glared playfully over her reading glasses as she set her latest batch of fourth grade book reports out on the kitchen table and settled into a chair. Bucky poured her a cup of coffee, just the way she liked it with two sugars and a splash of milk, sliding it in front of her. “Thanks honey.”

“Welcome, Ma. You need anything else?”

“No, I’m good. You go relax with your sisters.”

“I gotta do Alice’s Bio flashcards with her again and then we’re about done.”

~*~

Later that evening when the food was about done, Bucky came back into the kitchen to bug his Ma. “Come on, Ma,” he said, lightly rubbing her shoulders. “Time to put work away, yeah?”

Winifred reached back and patted his hand, lovingly catching it in a hug between her neck and shoulder. She put her pen down, tucking the papers back into her folder and clipping it closed.

“You of all people should know, Bucky-”

“-a teacher’s work is never done,” the twins finished in unison as they also filed into the kitchen, making Bucky laugh.

“Yeah, and you two would be set for life if this world ran on sass,” Winifred grinned at her two youngest.

“Ooh, _shade..._ shade, shade, shade,” Bucky teased, snapping his fingers and pointing at the girls.

“God Bucky, just… No. _Please,_ I’m begging you!” Alice gasped in perfect teenage angst.

Elizabeth face-palmed, shaking her head and whispering in horror. “It’s like we don’t even know him.”

“What’d I say?” he asked, looking at their Ma innocently.

Winifred shrugged. “You’re too old to say that, honey. Guess us hip chicks are too cool for you.”

“Ma-aaa!!” the girls both whined out at the same time.

Bucky and Winifred exchanged high fives across the table as he set down the napkins and silverware. Not a moment later, the front door burst open, cold wind blowing in with the eldest Barnes daughter.

“Honey, I’m home!” Becca hollered. “Hope you saved some dinner for me!”

“Becca?” Winifred called, her face lighting up. “You came home!”

Both Elizabeth and Alice took off to the front room, leaving dinner and their chores of setting the table in the dust. Winifred wasn't too far behind them, excited to see her big girl who’d been almost 4 hours away at law school for far too long.

Bucky shook his head with a grin. He didn't mind being temporarily forgotten about, he was just happy they were all home again. He heard the chatter from the front room as he finished setting the table, and was just about to join his girls when Becca demanded he come out to greet her.

 _“Be-caw!”_ he replied, calling out to her in the most annoying bird sound ever, just to get the obligatory arm-punch from Becca. “Ow!”

“God, Bucky, you’re such a baby,” Becca scoffed as she took her bags upstairs to her room, followed by the twins.

Bucky laughed, heading back to finish by himself. He knew poor Becca wouldn't be able to pee without an audience for at least an hour, not with the way the twins latched onto her whenever she came home. She was the cool one, apparently.

He’d just pulled dinner out of the oven and was cutting up the last bits of bruschetta when his Ma walked back into the kitchen and hugged him tight. “So?” she grinned up at him expectantly.

“So?” Bucky parroted back, not quite sure what she was asking.

Winifred shook her head affectionately. “You’re finally putting yourself out there, honey, that’s a good thing. You gonna tell me about him?”

Bucky blushed, but looked down with a little scowl at the reminder of his self-induced singleness, though it quickly faded into a soft grin as soon as he thought of Steve. Yeah, he still had a hard time wrapping his mind around the fact that he was actually opening himself up after everything that happened with Alex. Even after swearing off any kind of dating - because the mark Alexander Pierce left was a deep one - he knew when he saw Steve he couldn’t not try.

“I know I said I wasn’t going to Ma, and I’ve been happy, you know? Spending time with the girls, having my projects at work, and teaching… I’m plenty busy.”

“There’s a lot more to life than keepin’ busy, honey,” Winifred reminded her eldest in that mom-knows-best way she had that was always from a place of love, not condescension.

“I know. I mean, it’s really only been a short while that I’ve known him, but whenever we talk, it’s just easy. He’s fun, and encouraging, I guess?” he grinned into the space in front of him. “Always asking me about the things I like, and takin’ the time to really listen. He’s just real sweet to me.”

Bucky and Winifred

 

“Who’s real sweet to ya?” Elizabeth asked, running into the kitchen and sliding across to the table in her socked feet.

“Steve.”

Elizabeth’s pale blue eyes, bluer that Bucky and Becca’s gray, flew open. “You have a boyfriend?” she gasped excitedly.

“No, I don’t have a boyfriend,” Bucky corrected his nosy-est little sister, flicking water at her after rinsing his hands a final time and making her squawk indignantly. “I just met a really great guy is all.”

“What’s his name?” Alice asked, barging in on the news and plopping down in her seat at the table. Nothing was sacred in the Barnes house. Nothing.

“Steve,” Elizabeth answered for Bucky just in time for Becca to ask, “Who’s Steve?”

“Sit your butt down at the table, Becks, and maybe I’ll tell ya.”

~*~

That evening when Bucky climbed into bed, he texted Steve. He wasn’t really expecting a reply, given the unpredictability of Steve’s schedule in recent days, but was hoping for Steve’s sake - and that of New York City and the free world, really - that it would calm down for Steve sooner rather than later.   

 **Bucky:** Heya Stevie, can’t wait to see you tomorrow. Are we still on for six-thirty?

Imagine Bucky’s surprise when Steve replied back almost immediately.

 **Steve:** We are, I can’t wait to see you either. How was dinner with your girls, did you have a good time?

 **Bucky:** I did! Becca even came home from school a day early to surprise us. Ma wasn’t expecting her until tomorrow.

 **Steve:** That’s great Buck, I’m sure your Ma was happy about that :)

 **Bucky:** She was :) So you gonna tell me where we’re going tomorrow or is it still classified?

 **Steve:** Nope, it’s a surprise ;) You just be ready for me to get you at six-thirty.

 **Steve:** Hey are you busy right now?

Steve called Bucky and they spent the next two or so hours on the phone, talking about everything and nothing, sometimes simply listening to the sounds of the other breathing. From day one, Bucky thought that if he could curl up in a sound, it would be in Steve’s voice, but he didn’t realize how literal that desire was until somewhere in the back recesses of his mind he heard Steve murmur lowly, _“Goodnight, sweetheart,”_ before he drifted off one last time.


	15. My Best Guy

Steve ducked out of work early Friday, first heading to the florist and then the cleaners to get his suit. He had the perfect evening planned for Bucky and had to make sure everything was in order. The air was crisp and cold and the forecast called for a bit of early Spring snow, but Steve was perfectly happy at the moment to get away with anything other than a blizzard. 

As he dressed, it was near impossible to keep the excited grin off his face. In the short time he’d known Bucky, they’d gotten remarkably close. So close, in fact, that he actually found himself forgetting what his life was like without him. He didn’t even want to remember, and yeah, that didn’t make any sense when he said it out loud to Sam either, but it was what it was all the same. It didn’t change the fact that he was totally hooked on the guy already. Perhaps the bullshit he’d always heard about soulmates was true?

Steve smoothed his hands through his hair, giving it just enough of a pull that it looked not really messed on purpose, but still stylish. Looking at his reflection in the mirror, he nodded. The tailor had done a great job on the suit and it was fresh and pressed. An alarm buzzed on his phone and Steve nodded again at his reflection, a habit he’d picked up from Nat over the years. He gave his hair one last brush through with his fingers; it was time to go get his best guy.

~*~

Bucky stood just outside his building at 6:30, waiting for Steve. He had been outside for just a minute or two, but he found himself fidgeting back and forth, messing with his scarf, tugging at his sleeves. He wasn’t wiggly because of his attire or the cold, but because he was nervous. Every car that drove by made his heart pound harder in his chest, and by the time the black limousine pulled to a stop at the curb, he’d practically worked himself into an anxiety attack. 

Wow. A limousine. Surely that wasn’t Steve, was it? 

He waited there on the steps, in case it wasn’t. What if there was someone else in his building that had a big date that night, and he got his hopes up for nothing? Maybe Steve changed his mind, realized how incredibly attached Bucky was to his family, that he was too much of a Momma’s Boy? Maybe Steve decided he wasn’t worth the effort? It could happen. 

It had happened. 

No. Alex was getting to him again, and Bucky clenched his jaw, telling himself no, he wouldn’t give Alex that kind of power over him. Steve was different.

Remarkably, all those negative thoughts dissipated the moment the door to the car opened and Steve exited. Bucky’s heart jumped up into his throat and he smiled wide, quickly descending the few steps there were in the front of his building.

“Steve!” Bucky called happily.

Steve returned the bright smile and walked toward Bucky, his body language radiating nothing but confidence and sex appeal. Goddamn, Steve was gorgeous, Bucky thought to himself, cementing his original thought about him. 

_ So much man. _

“Hey sweetheart,” Steve greeted him, stopping a few steps in front of Bucky, giving him an obvious pleased once-over before handing him a single red rose.

Steve’s bright blue eyes darkened with appreciation and Bucky ducked his head, blushing under his gaze, the way those eyes trailed over his form as he took the flower and inhaled its sweet fragrance warmed him from the inside out. Bucky was glad he’d worn his nicest suit and the wool trench coat over it. He really wanted to look good for Steve, and he always felt classy in that coat.  

“Come here,” Steve said, voice dropping an octave, and it was like there was a connection from his vocal cords directly to Bucky’s skin, lighting him up with electricity the moment he spoke. 

Bucky did as he was asked, and Steve held out his arms, enveloping him in a warm hug. He buried his nose into Steve’s neck, breathing in that familiar scent of his aftershave and clean skin, the sensation warming his insides. God, but did he love how their bodies fit against each other.

“Mmm,” Steve hummed, squeezing Bucky tight. “Missed you, Buck.”

They separated and Bucky bit down on his lip, a blush high up on his cheeks. “I missed you, too.”

Steve reached out and took Bucky’s hand, leading him back to the car and opening the door for him. Bucky slid inside, and then Steve as the driver came around, closing the door after them. Steve took that moment to roll up the privacy glass and reach over to gently brush his fingers across Bucky’s smooth jaw, the close shave giving him an even younger, more innocent appearance. Steve leaned up, pressing a soft, lingering kiss to his lips.

“Hungry?” Steve asked, holding Bucky’s eyes in the cross-hairs of his own when they separated. 

Bucky swallowed. God, yeah he was hungry, but not for anything a restaurant would be serving. He absently nodded, and Steve shot him a predatory grin before letting go of his jaw and reaching down to intertwine their fingers. 

“Good. I think you’ll like where we’re going.”

“So I heard,” Bucky shot back cheekily, suddenly full of confidence under Steve’s gaze. “Nothin’ but the best for your best guy?”

“My only guy.”

Bucky huffed a soft laugh as his heart fluttered in his chest. Jesus, he felt like a kid again. A stupid, horny kid who wanted to rip Steve’s clothes off and sink to his knees, suck him off right there in the backseat of the limo. But a kid, nonetheless. Instead, Bucky reached over, pulling Steve in close and kissing him deep, tasting that soft pink tongue and nipping against Steve’s full lips. Steve grinned into the kiss, deepening it and Bucky felt a moan in his mouth before they parted, Steve lightly pushing him back with a palm. 

“Dessert’s later, sweetheart,” Steve growled low, teasing against Bucky’s lips again. “I already told you, I’m takin’ my time with you tonight.”

And fuck if that thought didn’t make Bucky’s dick raise it’s hand excitedly. 

Once Bucky got his wits about him again and was able to put words together coherently, he asked Steve more about his job, curious as to what he could and couldn’t say. Steve was actually pretty open about everything, except for the specific incidents, of course, details of which remained classified. 

“So how did you get into something like that, were you in the military?” Bucky asked.

Steve shook his head and glanced out the window before meeting Bucky’s eyes. “No, I wanted to be though. When I was a kid I wanted to join the Army. Special Forces, you know? I applied in high school, but I was immediately disqualified because I had been a sickly kid from asthma. After college, Maria and I both went into the academy for law enforcement. Homeland recruited me before graduation. She finished and was picked up by Port Authority.”

“Oh, wow. Recruited before you finished?” Bucky asked, brows rising and surprise coloring his voice. He was impressed; Steve was a total catch, the whole package really. 

“Yeah. Homeland monitors testing scores for all academies, looking for outliers,” Steve shrugged, like it was no big deal. “Guess I was on the higher end.”

“How good are we talkin’?” Bucky asked, his interest piquing. He supposed Steve was pretty damned good, if he was recruited before he was even out of the academy.

Steve grinned, a little self-deprecating expression and looked out the window again. It was the first time Bucky had seen him act anything other than confident, almost like he wasn’t comfortable talking about himself. He realized that while Steve had a natural gift for encouraging others, maybe he just wasn’t used to touting his own accomplishments.

“Wow, Stevie. That good, huh?”

Steve made a little noise, discounting the extent of his skills. “My strong areas were interrogation, strategic initiatives and counter-terrorism. So, yeah, pretty decent.” He cleared his throat nervously, but then fixed those intense eyes on Bucky. “Tonight ain’t about me, though. I wanna hear all about your trip.”

After some prodding, Bucky caved, accepting the change of subject and giving Steve all the details about his meeting with the team in California. While it was a short trip, the physicists were more than happy to give he and Tony a tour and show them exactly how they planned on implementing the new regenerative power tech they’d contracted.

Bucky’s excitement in his work came through clear as day. It was easy for him, talking with Steve, especially about things he was so passionate about. And when Steve took the time to ask questions about this particle or that technique, Bucky found himself enjoying it even more. Steve didn’t just wait for his turn to talk, and move the conversation to something else like most people did. Even if he didn’t quite understand something, he asked about it; that only got Bucky and his inner teacher-nerd all hot and bothered. Thankfully, they arrived at the restaurant before he got too distracted by Steve’s pretty fucking lips and the way they curved just so when he gave Bucky that pleased half-grin, half-smirk.

The driver came around to open the door, and Bucky’s eyes went wide when they exited the car. “Oh my God, Steve! The Russian Tea Room - how did - you got us on the list?”

Bucky was floored. He’d always wanted to go there, but it was literally one of the most exclusive spots in the city, a place everyone knew about it, though nobody really talked about why. It was a Michelin star rated restaurant, but also  _ that _ kind of place, where the Bratva and former KGB operatives were known to frequent. The clientele only increased the exclusivity factor, and hell,  _ Tony _ hadn’t even been there.

Steve smirked and cocked a brow, all confident and cocky again, the gesture making Bucky weak in the knees. “A friend owed me a favor.”

The look on Bucky’s face must have been entertaining, because Steve laughed out loud when he looked at him. It was that full, hearty laugh he had where his eyes crinkled at the edges and his perfect teeth were on display, making Bucky all gooey inside.

“No, Buck! Not that kind of favor,” he snorted before they entered. “Nat’s uncle owns the place. She made me suffer through Anusara, remember? I got an ask out of it.”

_ Oh. _ That’s right, Steve and his crazy flexibility and his friend that taught yoga. 

Yet another benefit of Bucky wearing a suit and overcoat was the fact that the layers would help hide the obvious if his body continued to betray him like it was threatening to. He didn’t want to end up popping a full boner in the midst of the Bratva.

The young woman at the front of the restaurant greeted Steve and Bucky warmly, her eyes darting from one to the other of them. “May I have the name for the reservation?”

Suddenly, a large voice called out,  _ “Svyatoye der'mo, Steven Rogers! Gde ty byl?” _

Steve huffed a laugh in the direction of the man owning the voice. He confidently turned to the  powerful looking man, and hugged him. “Mr. Romanov! It’s nice to see you again.  _ Kak pozhivayete?” _

“I am well, son,” he replied, pulling Steve in close with his manicured hands and kissing each cheek. “My Natashenka says you have an important night. Is this your date?” he asked, turning and peering up at Bucky. He stuck his hand out to Bucky, a flat, yet knowing smirk curling one side of his mouth. “Aleksei Romanov.”

The expression on the man’s face looked remarkably familiar but Bucky couldn’t place it at the moment. He blushed as Steve introduced him before he greeted the older man with the big voice and thick Russian accent. “Hello, good to meet you, sir.”

“Thanks again for seeing us so quickly, Mr. Romanov,” Steve nodded before the man - Aleksei - pulled him into another crushing hug. 

“Ah, well any friend of my Natashenka, Steven. Especially since you are like a brother to her.” Aleksei turned to Bucky and sized him up, not outright saying anything, but the implication was there, and Bucky swallowed hard. Seeming pleased with Bucky’s reaction to his expression, he broke out into a great big smile before pulling Bucky into a similarly crushing hug and kissing his cheeks.

After they were seated in a quiet, intimate corner, Steve reached over and held Bucky’s hand. “Sorry about that, sweetheart. He’s always been a bit of a personality.”

Bucky simply shook his head silently. Being out with Steve was something he didn’t think he’d ever get tired of, the adrenaline was pumping through his veins, no end in sight. He’d never felt so highly regarded as when he was with Steve, not by any man. Funny enough, it wasn’t even the elite restaurant or the fancy date as much as it was the attention Steve showered him with. It left him feeling invincible.

Like flying.

Better than flying.

As if the multiple course dinner wasn’t enough, Steve had more up his sleeve for after they finished eating. The two of them fell into the backseat of the limousine, both a little tipsy from the many imported vodkas they tried, all at Mr. Romanov’s behest, of course. As the driver continued on to their next destination, Bucky and Steve were oblivious to the world around them.

~*~

Steve looked softly over at Bucky after a fit of giggles died down into comfortable silence. They were cuddled up together in the back seat, Bucky leaning into Steve’s side. Steve couldn’t help but lean in and kiss the happy grin right off Bucky’s lips, and something squeezed in his chest with the way Bucky submitted to him willingly, so sweet, lips soft and pliant and warm. 

Fuck, he wanted him. 

It would take every ounce of his self control to keep his hands to himself once they were in the museum, too, especially considering the obvious buzz Bucky had going. It seemed to relax him, to cut down on his inhibitions just enough... But God, was he beautiful. His eyes were bright and shiny with mirth, cheeks nice and pink and warm with a flush from the booze, and his kiss tasted of chocolate and cherry from the Mi-Cuit they shared for dessert. 

“Hey Buck?” Steve murmured against Bucky’s neck, where his lips and tongue and teeth were otherwise busy enjoying the miles of flawless skin.

Bucky replied with a soft hum on a sigh, and when Steve pulled back to look at him, his attention was caught by Bucky’s lips, pink and full from how he’d been biting down on them as Steve nibbled at the sensitive skin just under the angle of his jaw. His eyes fluttered open and as they focused on Steve he grinned shyly.

“Christ, you’re beautiful,” Steve breathed, completely forgetting what it was he was going to say. He dove back in, kissing him deep and possessive, making Bucky whine softly in the back of his throat. 

“Steve,” Bucky gasped quietly as Steve’s hand found the inside of his muscular thigh. 

Bucky’s hips shifted and he slouched more, his posture opening his body up to Steve for the taking. And take he did. Steve ran his hand up higher, fingers teasing the inseam of Bucky’s pants. He knew they were headed for the museum, after all Steve really wanted to show Bucky the Yayoi Kusama exhibit. Since Bucky loved everything space exploration, he knew he would love The Souls of Millions Infinity Mirrors, but that was all easily forgotten when Bucky met Steve’s eyes deliberately, covered his hand and guided it up higher, giving him permission to  _ touch. _

Fuck, Steve was going to just die if he didn’t get Bucky alone soon. He ran his palm lightly over the bulge in Bucky’s slacks, his erection straining against the fabric. Steve’s slight touch to the warm outline of Bucky’s cock brought a soft  _ ‘uh’ _ sound out of Bucky, and if Steve wasn’t already rock fucking hard, that sweet, intimate noise and the way he rolled his hips forward, chasing Steve’s touch would have done it. 

“God, I… Steve-” Bucky begged again, that time directly into Steve’s mouth. He was so far gone, panting and desperate, hips chasing Steve’s touch, he couldn’t finish his thought.

Steve pulled back again, needing to know Bucky was fully engaged, and Bucky chased his lips. Steve kissed him again, lighter and then nipped at Bucky so he would pull back enough to meet his eyes. “Hey,” Steve said, voice deep, soothing as it settled into Bucky’s bones, “you sure you want this, Buck?”

“Yeah…” Bucky nodded, then swallowed thickly before meeting Steve’s eyes determinedly. “I’m sure. Let’s go to my place. Please, Stevie.”

“Yeah?”

The question came as a pleased sound, but with the cocked brow and half smirk, there was a hint of challenge to it. He was Steve Rogers, after all. 

And Bucky, well Bucky was so fucking made for Steve that he took the bait, hook, line and sinker. He narrowed his eyes, focusing on Steve and only Steve, and somehow found the confidence to state his case, plain as day.

“I - I want you to... will you fuck me?” 

“Fuck,” Steve breathed, voice deep. Jesus, Mary and Joseph what he would do to give Bucky exactly what he wanted. Bucky was seriously asking Steve to fuck him, like he’d ever deny him that. “Christ, Buck. Anything you ask for, sweetheart, I’m gonna give you.”

Steve pulled his phone out and texted the change of plans to the driver, and as soon as they felt the car turn around, they were back at each other. Hands grabbed, and caressed. Lips and tongues on skin and panted breaths were the only sounds from the back of the car as the two grown fucking men went back to dry-humping each other like a pair of desperate teenagers. 

It was goddamned perfect.

Steve tugged at Bucky’s tie, loosening it and unbuttoning his shirt so he could get to more of Bucky’s skin. He drug his tongue down the column of his throat and sucked a mark into the space where his neck met his clavicle, making Bucky whimper, his hands coming to rest on Steve’s shoulders before they ran up into Steve’s hair. 

“Steve,” Bucky whispered as a broken little sound left his throat. 

It was all Steve could do, and he tried, too. Tried and failed. His hands went straight for Bucky’s belt, making quick work of it and his zipper as he reached in and found the hot, silky skin of Bucky’s cock, thumbing at the head and smearing precome about it as he slowly began jerking Bucky. 

“This okay, Buck?” Steve teased as Bucky murmured incoherently against his mouth. Bucky nodded, sucking desperately against Steve’s full bottom lip and fucking up into Steve’s hand. 

Steve nipped back at Bucky playfully and moved to where he was above Bucky before settling low between his legs, knees on the floor of the limo. Bucky looked down at him as Steve held his eyes, slowly licking up his length from root to tip. 

It didn’t take but a moment before Bucky’s eyes fluttered shut, his mouth parting sinfully as a near-silent cry left his lips. Steve took more of Bucky’s cock into his mouth and sucked at the head, his tongue flicking at the sensitive edge before he swallowed Bucky deeper. 

Hollowing his cheeks, he sucked back up Bucky’s length, reveling in the salty taste of the precome that continued to drool out. The weight of Bucky’s cock on his tongue and the velvet smoothness of the skin there was better than Steve imagined, and he had imagined well. He sucked deeper, the head of Bucky’s cock hitting the back of his throat before he relaxed, taking him fuller, deeper and swallowing around the intrusion. 

Steve’s eyes began to water and he popped off Bucky’s cock with a lewd sound, sucking and licking as his hand, spit slick jerked his length. “Jesus, Steve,” Bucky breathed, tentatively reaching out to caress Steve’s cheek as he swallowed him back down. “You feel so good. So fucking good.” 

Bucky looked down, watching the way Steve’s lips stretched around his cock, the way he kept eye contact with him, determination and desire burning bright in his eyes. Steve’s cheeks hollowed again as he sucked up Bucky’s length, Bucky’s head falling back desperately against the seat. Jesus, if Steve kept that up, he wasn’t going to last long. 

Steve’s right hand kept at Bucky’s shaft and with his left, he reached up, lightly holding onto Bucky’s neck. He didn’t squeeze, simply rested his palm around the skin there, but the implication was clear as day. The thought of Steve controlling him, squeezing his throat and sucking his cock with expert precision had Bucky seeing stars, the pressure pooling hotly in the pit of his belly. It wasn’t going to be long.

“Steve, oh fuck… I’m gonna-” his voice was cut off as Steve applied just the right amount of pressure to his neck and pulled off his cock, jerking him faster. 

“Do it, baby. Come for me,” Steve ordered before taking Bucky’s cock deeper into his throat. 

Steve let go of Bucky’s throat and reached down, cupping and squeezing his balls just right as they drew up. Bucky cried out, hot come erupting into Steve’s mouth as he continued to suck, the heat and pressure too much for Bucky to handle as he tumbled right over the edge into a white-hot orgasm. 

Little grunts and choked off  _ ‘uh’ _ sounds mixed with lewd slurping were the only sounds in the back of the car as it came to a stop in front of Bucky’s building, Steve swallowing and licking up the last bits of Bucky’s come. He continued to suckle Bucky lazily until Bucky softly batted Steve away, pulling back in over sensitivity.

As Steve was tucking Bucky back into his pants, Bucky reached down, hauling Steve up into a messy, uncoordinated kiss, licking his own spend from Steve’s mouth and groaning quietly. “Christ, Steve…” 

“You did so good, Buck. So goddamned good for me, sweetheart,” Steve praised, and Bucky giggled softly, still breathing hard from the intense pleasure he’d just had from Steve’s hot, wet mouth. “What is it?” Steve asked, grinning at Bucky, voice a little deeper and raspy from swallowing cock and come.

Bucky demurred before answering, just needing a little bit more time to put together a coherent thought. “We’re here. The car’s stopped.”

Steve looked out the window, and yes, they were back at Bucky’s place. “Good timing, huh?” Steve grinned, pressing another, yet lighter kiss to Bucky’s lips.

“Uh huh.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! More of the fast-moving relationship between these two is going to be in the works down the road, as well as their individual family dynamics. 
> 
> I hope you enjoyed our Bang!


End file.
